Power Play
by Mikitsu Silverquick
Summary: It's been years since Cyclonis disappeared through the Faarside gate with the Storm Hawks in pursuit. Everyone wants to see an end to the war between the Storm Hawks and Cyclonis, and some don't care about the cost. Aerrow X Master Cyclonis
1. Chapter 1

Ch 1: The Best-Laid Plans of Mice and Men Often Go Awry

A/N: For the challenges being hosted over at the Fanfic Bake-off. As such, the chapters for this fic won't exceed 300 words, as is the requirement for the entries for the Fanfic Bake-off.

Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks.

Master Cyclonis was a woman of few words, but it was rare when she was rendered completely speechless. Sheer outrage and complete shock were the root causes of her tongue being glued to the roof of her mouth.

Two of her Talons stood at smart attention before her. Between them was a kneeling figure that was sporting a number of bruises. The satisfaction of the two soldiers seemed to slowly leak out from them as their Master remained silent. It was never a good thing when Cyclonis became quiet – it usually meant imminent doom.

Cyclonis swept herself off her throne, stalking towards her suddenly very nervous subjects.

"Let me try to understand something," Cyclonis said as softly, like velvet covered steel. "I thought I was very clear with my instructions, but apparently ..." Cyclonis gestured at the main subject of her displeasure, the person forced to kneel on the ground "... I was not very distinct in my instructions."

The Talon pair looked to each other, panic and confusion building in their eyes.

"B-but, we did just as you asked! You told us to catch the Storm Hawk that went to pick up the package!"

The calm before the storm finally broke. Cyclonis lashed her hand forward, and both of the Talons flinched. The both expected to be flung against the walls at any moment, but they sighed a breath of relief when they saw they weren't their Master's target.

She had a fistful of the prisoner's hair fisted in her grasp. "I said grab the _female_ Storm Hawk, the only one! You were supposed to get me their crystal master, but what do you give me!?"

Cyclonis face was livid as she stared into the green eyes of her new prisoner. "You get me their goddamn Sky Knight!"


	2. Chapter 2

Ch 2: Cat and Mouse

**Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks**

"_I'm sorry, Aerrow. You shouldn't have to go."_

"_Don't worry about it, Piper, you're sick. You shouldn't be out in this weather. You'll catch your death that way. I'll pick up that book for you and be back in no time. What's the worst that could happen?"_

_XxXxXxXxXxX_

Aerrow could taste blood in his mouth. He could hear Cyclonis talking but he only picked up every other word. _Must have a concussion, that would explain the blurry vision._

"You fools are sure that no one saw you?!" Cyclonis hissed.

"We're positive! It's the middle of the night!" Both Talons opined.

"Then where is the rat?" Aerrow knew that Cyclonis meant Radarr. _God, I hope he's alright._

"Rat?"

"The giant blue rodent looking thing! It's never five feet away from the Sky Knight!"

Cyclonis's question was met with eerie silence. "You don't know do you!?"

Before her Talons could respond Cyclonis continued with her angered hissing. "You do realize that if that _creature_ manages to get back to the Storm Hawks, or worse helps the Sky Knight escape, everything that I have been working towards will be ruined?!"

Aerrow heard bumbled and stuttered apologies.

"Enough of this! I want the entire place canvassed! And I want you two to search out the location that picked up the Sky Knight and _kill_ the stupid mongrel and bring me back it's head! You will not return until then! Now go! I'll finish the rest of your mess."

Aerrow felt his body drop to the floor as he was released from gloved-hands.

"So," Aerrow choked out, "what now? Killing me? Torture? Or holding me for ransom?"

"Nothing of the kind. You'll rot away in the dungeons; no one will ever know what ever happened to you or who took you. As if you disappeared."

A/N:

I think Cyclonis has learned that the best way to keep the Storm Hawks out of her business is not to advertise.


	3. Chapter 3

The sun was warm on his face, and the breeze was whipping his hair into tangles. He didn't care. He could feel the broad expanse of the universe under his skimmer's wings. It was glorious. It was freedom.

Sudden cold shock shook his body. Aerrow sputtered, gagging at the foul taste in his mouth. The memory of the dream faded, leaving him with harsh reality. Darkness. Stale Air. Cold. No sky. Trapped.

"Rise and shine, precious."

A rail thin guard was holding a bucket in one hand, looming over the Sky Knight. Whatever had been the bucket was all over him now, and he had a good idea it wasn't clean water if the smell was any clue.

Aerrow didn't move fast enough for the guard's liking. Fresh bruises from sharp kicks were laid over old ones.

Dragged and pushed from his threadbare pallet on the floor, Aerrow was thrust into the nightmarish hell he had been forced to live in for several weeks. It was a mining operation. What they were mining, he wasn't sure. All he knew for sure was that getting out was going to be a bigger challenge than it usually was. They fed him hard bread and dirty water. They worked him long hours, and let him sleep for what felt like minutes. The guards were also fond of giving him livid bruises. Radarr hadn't made any appearance yet. He didn't know if that was a good or bad sign.

They were trying to break him. _She_ was trying to break him.

Shoved into a line with his fellow slaves and forced to clawing away at the soft rock with his own hands, Aerrow swore he'd get free. And he'd topple that black queen off her pretty little throne of thorns.


	4. Chapter 4

Ch 4: Fight

A/N: Just a reminder, these chapters are meant to be short and sweet. I'm posting them to a livejournal community called Fanfic_bakeoff and entries are required to be between 100 – 300 words. We're giving monthly prompts, this month's being yielding.

Disclaimer: I don't own Storm Hawks (duh)

-

Aerrow's arm shot out in a sharp jab into his opponent's gut. Aerrow couldn't remember his name, Rock or Rook or something. Aerrow stood in a ready stance as his opponent bellowed like a bull, ready to charge. A ring of fellow inmates penned them into their fight. The Sky Knight didn't have a choice but to fight. _Especially over something as stupid as food._ Rook seemed to be the top dog of the inmates, and he seemed to take personal pleasure of making others miserable. It seemed to be a pet project of his to starve Aerrow. The food was terrible and unyielding on his stomach but it was better than going hungry. Apparently Rook didn't like the word 'no' very much.

Rook seemed to have his wind back and charge at the Sky Knight, who easily sidestepped him. Rook was easily taller and bulkier than Aerrow's lithe frame, but the Sky Knight was much faster.

Sudden shouts and Aerrow felt himself tackled by the guards. The fight was over, and the guards were vicious in proving that to everybody. The crowd slowly dispersed, leaving Aerrow alone to be cuffed and shook by angry guards.

The red-head took it. He had learned fast what happened to those who fought back. They landed up battered, bruised, sometimes a little broken. And if something happened down in this hell, you pretty much had to doctor yourself.

Rook and Aerrow were shoved in opposite in directions but Aerrow still got the nasty look the older inmate gave him. It reminded him of an angry sky shark – cold and dangerous.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **I guess it's about time some questions about what the other Storm Hawks were answered. Had to happen eventually. Also, to stave off confusion, the Storm Hawks and Cyclonis are still trapped on the Far Side. Let's just say things are run a bit different there.

Ch 5: Innocent Until Proven Guilty

"Proof?! We don't need proof! We _know _she did it!"

Piper's voice echoed in the large hall, snippets of her words chasing after each other.

"The Storm Hawks have been warned about presenting allegations without any evidence to this council, young lady," said a much older gentleman dressed in prestigious robes. Men and women dressed like him were seated in a high U-shaped table. Most seemed bored, or aggravated. There was only one person who's attention she seemed to have.

"Sir, if you would just listen ..."

She was cut off.

"I have been listening. I've listened to you for the past several years. It's always the same. You're determined to see a martyr fall beneath you for the evils of the world. This council is tired of the Storm Hawks vigilantism in our skies and our cities."

There was a low rumble of agreement.

"You don't understand," Piper pleaded. "Aerrow wouldn't just up and leave! Someone must have taken him, and she's ..."

Again, she was interrupted.

"As disappointing as it must be Piper, the Storm Hawks have other enemies. _Tangible_ enemies. Maybe one of them took your Sky Knight. Or, as unbelievable as it may be, he _could _have left." It was a voice that haunted Piper – Master Cyclonis

The older gentleman nodded his head in agreement. "The young Cyclonis makes her point. Until you have something that is hard evidence we will not act."

It will also be noted that the Storm Hawks will drop this vendetta against Master Cyclonis, once and for all. Failure to yield to this council's decision will result in imprisonment. Understood?"

Piper could do nothing but nod. There was nothing else she could do.


	6. Chapter 6

**~ Trouble in Paradise ~**

Things were very different on the Far Side. For one thing, Cyclonis was supposed to be an equal to fellow council members. _Supposed_ being the key word. She was used to being feared and respected at the young age of fourteen. Now, she was treated like a willful child, even though she was now a young woman. She was trapped by politics. She couldn't bully her way like she used to. She now understood why her parents had gone to Atmos.

Freedom.

"Those Storm Hawks bring far more excitement to our council meetings than I prefer," Tempest addressed the whole council. It was a silent rebuke. The council knew that the thorn in their sides had followed her through the hole she had made. They blamed her for it.

"If you allowed me, I could deal with the problem," Cyclonis suggested.

A sigh. "You have made that option plenty clear, but you know that we cannot allow that. As I told the Storm Hawk today, they are not to bother you. You, as well, are not to bother them. Understood?"

Cyclonis remained silent, again feeling trapped. She was blamed for the Storm Hawk problem, and she wasn't even allowed to fix it! The doddering old fool, Tempest, was the voice of the Council, and also seemed to lead it by the nose. Every time she's tried to scrabble up the hierarchy, her every move was met and intercepted by him.

It was even more frustrating, for the Storm Hawks seemed to have a less than harder time stirring up their slow rebellion against the old order of the Far Side.

"I know my place in the council," she answered.

"I'm glad to see that, I would hate to see what would happen if the Storm Hawk's allegations ran true."

**~ Bad Day at the Office ~**

It had taken all of Cyclonis's will to hold her tongue throughout the whole meeting. Sitting there while she was ridiculed in front of the whole Council? She would have never stood for it when she had been in power on Atmos. Now, she was forced to gain alliances, and give favours. The politics grated at the very fibre of her being.

She stalked down the vast hallways of the Council House, intending to go home. Or what counted for home on this Side. She would have never guessed that she would have missed the skies of Atmos.

"Master Cyclonis?"

It was a messenger, one of hers. She hoped it was good news.

"What is it?" she asked.

"There was a problem at the mines, your presence is requested." The Talon held out a scroll.

She waved it off, continuing to walk. "Just because I own the damn things doesn't mean that I have to be bothered with every single little hiccup that occurs there. That's what I pay Gyps for."

The Talon staggered to keep up. "The message is _from_ Gyps. He said it was very urgent. That you want to know about it immediately."

Cyclonis sighed as she held out her hand for the scroll. She didn't slow down her pace though. "Let's see it, then."

Cyclonis took no time in wilfully ripping off the seal and reading the scroll. Twice.

It took all her effort to remain calm. "Go down to the docks and arrange transport for me to the mines. Now!"

**~ Complications ~**

Cyclonis swept into the room, noticing that that she everyone in the room flinched at her brisk arrival.

"These things aren't supposed to happen," she simply stated.

"We know, we don't ..." Gyps started. He was an older man, his hair greying and thinning. Dirt showed on his face from the mines.

"No excuses," she interrupted. "Didn't anyone notice? What are the guards doing down here?!"

"Some of the boys noticed something was off with him, but they didn't think anything of it. We only clued in when, well..."

"Well clearly they don't need their jobs. Dismiss them." It was a curt demand, one that Gyps left to do immediately. She didn't blame him. She was seething with rage.

Silence reigned, until she asked the only remaining person, "How long?"

The man was wearing a white lab coat that was smeared with red stains. A doctor. "What do you mean? How long has he been like this or how long does he have?"

"Both."

"Well, we're not sure, but from the level of infection, I'm going to guess he's been suffering at least a few weeks before we figured it out. It's too little too late. I don't give him long. A few days, maybe."

Cyclonis could do nothing but nod. Her mind was elsewhere. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. Why did nothing go as she had planned?

"Do want to see him?" The doctor asked.

"No."

He was supposed to willfully come to her. Beg her to let him out of the hell she had put him in. She wanted to see him break like glass. That would have been poetic.

Being stabbed with a shank and dying from it ... that wasn't how Amos's greatest Sky Knight was supposed to go.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: I'm loving that finals and school are over. It means more time to write._

**~ Visiting Hours ~**

Master Cyclonis paced, her long skirt dragging behind her. It had been a week since the incident at the mines. She had told herself not to think about it, to let it go. But she couldn't.

She tried to soothe herself by telling herself that it didn't matter. The Sky Knight was going to die eventually, especially with how reckless he was. He was also gaining the ire of the Council. The man was doomed to die young from such a life. Why should it matter that it wasn't from her hand? But it did.

That's why she had come back to mines, just to see. She regretted coming the moment she arrived. She hadn't been able to step into the room. She couldn't deal with the sickly or infirm. She couldn't even stand hospitals. It reminded her too much of her father on his deathbed; lingering, in pain, for days until his final breath rattled in his chest.

_You're being a silly child. A grown woman shouldn't act like this._ She pushed through the doors, before her mind could change.

Another wash of regret flooded her when finally saw him. _I don't remember him being that small_ she couldn't help but think. Fever and infection had eaten away muscle and fat, leaving mostly skin and bones. His face was flushed with fever, and his whole body seemed to be wracked with shivering. His skin looked slick with sweat.

_And this is what one of my greatest adversaries has succumbed to. _

She wanted to turn away, but couldn't. She could see his laboured breathing. _It would be a wilful mercy to kill him now, put him out of his misery. Like an old dog._

An idea came to her. _That would be merciful, but when have I ever been merciful?_

**~ How Many Miles to Babylon? ~**

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Master Cyclonis. I had another patient and –"

She flicked her hand in dismissal. "I don't care about that. Just tell me the condition of the Sky Knight."

The Doctor shrugged, "Not much to tell. The boy's condition isn't improving. But it's not degrading as fast as I expected either. He seems to be wilfully holding onto life."

"So he could survive," she asked, curious.

"Oh, no, he'll most definitely die if he stays here. I don't have the proper equipment to give him the correct treatment."

"So if he was moved?" She couldn't help but query.

"Pfft, he'd likely not survive the trip."

She pressed on, "But if he did?"

The Doctor huffed, "If he was able to get proper treatment he _might _survive. But I don't think–"

Cyclonis held up a hand for silence, and turned to leave. "Just prepare him for transport. He's to be moved in an hour."

"And where," The Doctor asked at her retreating figure, "Are you going to take him?"

She stopped at the door, thinking. A wicked smile crossed her lips. "Home."


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Thanks to everyone for reviewing - it warms my heart. _

_Disclaimer: Do not own.  
_

**~Losing Battle~**

Cyclonis stalked down a passage carrying a tray of food. She was in a forgotten part of her personal quarters. Her servants never ventured down this way, not that she allowed the servants to go into her quarters unsupervised. It made keeping her secrets easier if she had a clandestine space.

She came upon an older door; she opened it with a key taken from her neck. She pushed through the door, revealing a large room. The Doctor looked up from what he was doing – giving the sleeping Sky Knight a shot – and simply nodded upon her entranced. With a practiced motion Cyclonis closed the door with a foot and relocking it before she set the tray down on the night table.

"Any improvement?" She asked quietly.

"No, it seems his fever is wilfully rising despite all my medical abilities being put to use. He can barely keep anything down – he's starving and he's dehydrated. He's also starting to develop bedsores!" The Doctor couldn't help the exasperated look on his face. It just accented the heavy circles under his eyes.

"I thought you said you could fix him if you were given the right resources!" She shouted.

"I 've been doing my best! If you wanted him to heal you should have given him proper treatment a week ago, not a few days ago!" The Doctor walked off.

"Where do you think you're going?" Cyclonis hissed.

"I've been awake for forty-right hours; I'm going to bed."

"Come right back here and do your job!" Cyclonis seethed.

"If I don't get sleep now, there will be two comatose people. If you want him alive so much just watch him for a couple hours, it'll be the most useful thing you've done so far."

**~ Fear Rising ~**

She had wanted to say 'fuck it' and leave. She almost had, but the last wilful urge had passed hours ago. It was the fear. The Sky Knight was wheezing, shivering: she was terrified that if she left he would die. And if that happened her plans would be ruined – again. So she kept a vigil, fear coursing through her at every whimper and cough from her patient.

The Doctor came back as promised. He found her tense and rigid in her seat, almost panicking while the red head was coughing violently. Gentle words soothed her raw nerves, and she forgot to be angry for being abandoned.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: This chapter and the next are unbetaed. Obvious disclaimer - do not own Storm Hawks._

**~Divided Attention~**

The days were beginning to blur together. Cyclonis barely remembered the political dances she was forced to perform in the council and its chambers. It was sloppy and it was bound to be the ruin of her. She could tell her fellow council members were like sky-sharks with the scent of blood in the air. She could almost feel them testing her, probing for weakness. They hadn't found anything but they had noticed her fatigue and were digging for the cause of it. Thankfully she had the wits to lay false trails so they wouldn't find out the real reason she had gone to the mines, or what she had brought back.

On top of all this, Cyclonis had also been keeping herself busy with her network of spies and the intel they brought her. She was keeping a careful eye on the free range Storm Hawks, making sure they didn't get their noses too close to figuring out where their Sky Knight went. More false trails, and a heavy blow to her resources. But it was paying off. Radarr had yet to reappear amongst the Storm Hawks, and her own that be sent to search for it had found nothing. With any luck it had died.

All of this was taxing enough on her mind, but she was also heaping punishment on her body as well. She took care of the Sky Knight during the nights and evenings, giving the Doctor valuable rest. Cyclonis slept little, ate little, and seemed to do very little. But inch by precious inch the Sky Knight was recovering while comatose. His fever was lower, though still there, and seemed to eat a little of what Cyclonis managed to feed him. The doctor said it was a token of good fortune.


	10. Chapter 10

**~Hypnagogia~**

"Good evening, Doctor."

"Master Cyclonis, I didn't expect you this early."

"I had time on my hands and decided to spend it wisely."

"Yes, well I'm sure it'll be another quiet night for you. I don't know how but this boy has dragged himself from Death's doorstop. His recovery is a doctor's dream. I wouldn't be surprised if he wakes from his coma over the next couple of days."

"That's good news."

"Yes, but I have to warn you, even when he awakens from his coma the progress will be terribly slow. He needs to regain all the weight he's lost, and I'm afraid that some of his muscles might have atrophied. If that's the case he'll need treatment for that. But I won't know for sure until he's awake."

"Are you worried about your job, Doctor?"

"No, I'm just worried about the boy."

"Hm. Regardless, I refuse to send you back to the mines. You're far more valuable here. I need you to watch the boy until it's safe to leave him for long periods of time. I'll take over his primary care, then. You'll work as my primary physician at that point and will be too busy with other matters."

"But don't you already have one?"

"Yes, and he's useless. I also want to keep _you_ close at hand."

"In case there's a problem?"

"That, and also to make sure you keep your mouth shut. If anyone was to find out..."

"I have no interest in what you do with a slave from the mines, nor do I have an interest in gossip."

"Make sure it that it... wait, Doctor. I think he just blinked."

"Hm? I'm sure it was just an involuntary... oh my. You are quite right."

"What does it mean?"

"That he's waking up."


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: This chapter is unbetaed, just a warning. And I promise, next chapter we get to see Aerrow's reaction to Cyclonis being his caretaker. Also points to who ever knows the song I'm referencing in this chapter, and also who the mysterious person is that Aerrow is talking to.  
_

_ Obvious disclaimer - do not own Storm Hawks._

**~Does Anybody Know What We Are Looking For?~**

For the longest while there had been pain. It moved like poison, spreading throughout his whole body. And for the longest while he knew he was dying. He could feel the token touch of Death. He had felt it so many times before, but this time, the cold brush wasn't fading. It was settling over him.

And then for a while, everything went away. It felt like he was dreaming (or was it memories?). A double-bladed sword that glowed blood red. Clear blue skies, like a crystal he once held. Cinnamon skin and amber eyes. A voice of silk that held an undercurrent of an older power. It was things he knew (thought he knew).

He was content to swim amongst the half-remembered things (he needed the rest, he was so tired, had been tired for years). He couldn't remember anything, where he was, what had happened to him (a rush of clarity and he almost knew but it was like trying to grab light – impossible). He wanted to stay amongst the dreams but he could feel something pulling at him, it was another half-remembered thing. (he had to get away, get away, get away.)

**~Behind the Curtain~**

"But I'm tired."

"That's not who you are."

"And who am I?"

"Someone the people need."

"Can't they find somebody else?"

"No, it has to be you."

"Who are you?"

"You know who."

"This is _my_ dream and-"

"Not a dream, a crossroads."

"That doesn't explain who you are!"

"As snappy as always! Same hideous haircut, too."

"So I _do_ know you."

"Yes, but you're not going to remember any of this. So, no point in my name."

"Then what's the point of this conversation?"

"None, really."

"You're infuriating!"

"You're opinion of me hasn't changed either."

"Why _are_ you here?"

"Reminding you who you are. Like I said, you're at a crossroads. A decision has to be made."

"A decision about what?"

"About going back."

"I don't understand..."

"Aerrow, you have a heart of gold and a will of iron and clearly work out but you're not much equipped in the metaphysics department are you?"

"Huh?"

"Nevermind. You have two options: go back and do what you're destined to or you can stay here."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"You know, save the damsel, beat the bad guys. Typical token hero stuff."

"It's not that easy is it?"

"No. You're going to have to make some tough calls, make sacrifices, hurt the people you love. There's going to be death. You might not like the guy you have to become."

"And if I don't go back? If I stay here?"

"You can choose to exit stage left, permanently, but you're the lead, Aerrow. The show will go on, but it won't have the proper ending. It's going to go horribly wrong. People will die."

"It sounds like a lose/lose situation."

"No, because you'll _save_ people, if you go back."

"At the cost of my own happiness?"

"Yes."

"We'll see."

**~Outside the Dawn is Breaking~**

For the longest while there was nothing. And then the pain came. It was a dull ache that made him forget (a flash of green and violet feathers) and then other things started to come back. The dream decayed into a feeble token of an impression.

He remembered being knighted. His family; Piper, Radarr, Finn, Junko, and Stork. He remembered Atmos. He remembered the Dark Ace and Cyclonia. A dark-haired empress. Years away from the skies he loved. Being captured, being miserable. Of feeling true hate.

He remembered rough walls, ugly looks, a pain in his side, and getting sick. Then all he could remember were voices. Voices that he could hear now, but he didn't understand . He wanted to know, but he couldn't, he felt so heavy all the time.

Sometimes the heaviness lifted away, making him feel like falling and he could catch a word. Or callused fingers checking his pulse. Or a soft touch trailed on his jawline.

_I'd like to see the face of someone with such a gentle hand_ Aerrow thought before the heaviness dragged him back down.

And then the heaviness almost cleared away completely, hurling Aerrow into reality. He struggled to get his eyes open. To _see._

It was a riot of colour. With the falling feeling still in his stomach, the world spun.

_This is too much._

Amethyst eyes came into view and a cool hand on his cheek. The world stopped spinning, only to start sinking.

Aerrow struggled with the words, but he didn't have the strength.

_I don't want to go back to sleep!_

Amethyst eyes seemed to detect his distress. "Rest a little bit longer for me, Aerrow. You'll be fine after you sleep a little longer."

_Promise? _Aerrow silently asked as consciousness faded.


	12. Chapter 12

**~Consciousness~**

It was strange, one minute he was sleeping and then he was awake. _Awake,_ awake, this time.

_Where am I? Last thing I remember was being in the mines after Rook snuck up on me._

Aerrow struggled to sit up, but couldn't. Panic started to settle in. _What's wrong with me? _

"Shh, you're going to hurt yourself if you don't settle down."

A man in a token white labcoat walked to Aerrow's side, placing a steadying hand to push the boy back against the mattress.

"Wher-" Aerrow coughed, his dry throat sticking on the words.

"Here, sip this." A cup was tipped against Aerrow's lips, letting a trickle of water into his parched throat.

"Thanks," Aerrow whispered. Green eyes took in the room. "Who..."

"I'm the doctor who saved your life, young man. You had us pretty worried for a while. You had the nastiest case of infection I had ever seen in my career."

Green eyes looked around. The room was clean, brightly lit and warm. "This isn't the mines, is it?"

"Oh, goodness no. We're in my Master's home."

A shiver of trepidation went down Aerrow's spine.

"Now let's see about getting you fed. I'm sure there's a bowl of soup around here somewhere. I hope you don't mind if it's gone cold. Ah, here is is!"

The Doctor came back with the soup, setting it on the nightstand.

"Alright, let's see about getting you sitting up, hmm?"

With the Doctor's help, Aerrow was more reclining than sitting up against the pillows.

"Now let's see about that soup..."

The door swung open, revealing the last person Aerrow wanted to see.

"YOU!" he croaked.

"You know each other?" The Doctor asked.

Cyclonis gave the man a look. "Isn't your shift up?"

"Are you sure, I thi-"

"Out, now."

**~Spinning A Yarn~**

"Gleep got your tongue, Sky Knight? Or are you going to just glare at me all night?"

"What's your angle."

"Ah, it speaks at last."

"Answer the damn the question."

"Don't get fresh with me, Sky Knight."

"What's. Your. Angle."

"Pfft, there's no angle."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure there's no reason for you to capture me, makes me a slave in the mines, and then fix me up when I inevitably get injured."

"Oh there's a reason, but certainly not an angle."

"Huh?"

"The only reason you're alive is because the council wants you as their bargaining chip. See, your Storm Hawks are causing quite the fuss looking for you. The Council gives you back, safe and sound, and they stop all this vigilantism."

"That doesn't explain the kidnapping or the mines. Or why _you're _taking care of me."

"Kidnapping you was a mistake made by my insubordinates, and the mines were me covering up the mistake. The Council thinks the Storm Hawks are my fault, so I get stuck taking care of it. Simple enough for you, Sky Knight?"

"Kidnapping me was a mistake?"

"Yes, I already told you once, I really don't care that much what happens to you. Piper was the goal."

"What is it with you and Piper?"

"It wasn't about _Piper_, it was about the Storm Hawks destruction. You're the token heart, Sky Knight, but she's the brain. You can replace the heart, but not the brain."

"Why tell me this, especially since you're planning on releasing me?"

"Because I want you to know that you're not a threat, you were never a threat. And when I send you back, I want you to see how well your squadron got on without you."

"You're a real bitch, you know that, Cyclonis?"

"Why thank you."


	13. Chapter 13

**~ Tenacious ~**

"Will you stop being so stubborn?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Sky Knight, there's two choices. Either you eat of your own free will, or I hold you down and pour this soup down your throat."

"I'd like to see you try, Cyclonis."

"Don't tempt me, Sky Knight. Now eat, Doctor's orders."

"Fine, but I'll feed myself."

"No, you'll make a mess. Now just eat this bit already."

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Oh yes, I really enjoy being the nursemaid to the most annoying Sky Knight to exist."

"And what, I do? This is the second time my worst enemy has seen me at the token definition of vulnerable. But, no, it doesn't stop there. She's taking care of me like a child!"

"Will you calm down? You're going to make yourself sick again, and I hate mopping up vomit."

"This is what I'm talking about! One of the baddies shouldn't be worried about cleaning up my puke."

"You haven't been giveing the Doctor a hard time, just me these past few days, and he's a 'baddie' as you eloquently put it."

"But he's a _doctor. _It's his job. You on the other hand... it isn't your job."

"And your squadron? Do you give them this much trouble since it's not their job, either?"

"Yeah, actually. I hate being fussed over."

"Really."

"Yeah, I've been taking care of myself since I was eight. So when other people take care of me it's... weird."

"Makes sense. That doesn't mean I'm letting you feed yourself."

"Oh, come on."

"Shut up and just eat your soup."


	14. Chapter 14

**~Proving a Point~**

It had been explained to Aerrow that sleeping for long periods, then waking up at odd hours, were completely normal. That he could get used to. What Aerrow still had trouble getting over was when he woke that sometimes Master Cyclonis would be calmly sitting in the same room as him. Panic and memories of when he was fourteen and in a bodycast kept resurfacing.

Today was like the others, falling asleep to the puttering of the Doctor, and walking up to midnight silence and an even more silent Cyclonis. She was currently curled up in a chair, a book in her lap. Though it appeared all her attention was on her book, Aerrow knew better. The dark empress definitely had some sort of sixth sense.

Aerrow huffed discreetly, hoping he'd go back to sleep before they inevitably started chewing each other out.

"Hungry?"

"No," Aerrow retorted. _And so the cycle starts anew._

"That's a lie. It's been hours since you've had something."

Another sigh. "Not hungry, bored. When the hell do I get out of this bed? I'm sick of lying around all the time."

Cyclonis didn't even look up from her book. "When you're body's strong enough, then it'll be discussed."

"I feel _fine. _I may be just a little weak but I can walk around!" Aerrow argued.

Cyclonis eyed him with one of her glares before closing her book with a snap. She stalked over to him, and Aerrow couldn't help but shrink back a little.

When she swiftly ducked her hand under the covers she was a met with "What are you...?" Delicate fingers found Aerrow's side and _pressed_.

Aerrow hissed, twisting away. The scar left by the stabbing throbbed, pain ripping through him.

Cyclonis raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, before returning to her seat.


	15. Chapter 15

**~Replacement~**

"Master Cyclonis," greeted an older man possessing a mane of steel-grey hair.

"Master Furor." He was one the few members of the Council she could stand, despite his pathetic attempts to matchmake her to his son, Shrike. He claimed to have been well acquainted with her grandmother, the previous Master Cyclonis. He was also one of the few that believed the Council should renew its interest in Atmos .

"I was very interested in the research you submitted about transference of energy to unstable crystals. I was wondering if I could have a copy to review? "

"Thank you, I'll send one to you. Though," she politely demurred, "Any possible application is useless, seeing as unstable crystals degrade violently and rapidly. But what about yourself? You're still excavating the old ruins of the Ancient Masters?"

The entire Council were crystal masters, the name Master being passed to their progeny like some token. As Masters they were expected to hone their craft – making progress in the realm of further crystal mastery.

Furor sighed. "Yes, but the work is being hindered. There have been slave breakouts at the sites. With no one to dig, I can't research."

"The vigilantes?"

"Hmpf. Tempest may pretend ignorance about the authors of these acts, but we both know it's the Storm Hawks. It seems they are in a fury to find that Aerrow of theirs. Even without him, they are playing political havoc on our society. Tempest should have been signed their execution warrants the moment they gave trouble."

Cyclonis nodded, keeping her mouth shut. She had made those same suggestions when she had arrived, only to be ignored.

"One of them _is_ a crystal expert," Cyclonis ventured.

"Tempest's beliefs in converting her are farfetched. And he only considers it because his only heir is dead."


	16. Chapter 16

~**Desperate Times**~

It was an hour before morning and the shadows were dark and deep on the _Condor._ A single person stood vigil at the helm, arms crossed against the cold morning.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" Finn whispered, not wanting to wake the others.

Piper didn't bother to turn around. "I can't. He's out there, Finn, somewhere."

"We're doing all we can, all that _you _can." Finn stepped closer, placing a hand on Piper's shoulder. He might be the token goofball, but he knew when someone was hurting. And Piper was definitely hurting. "Don't be so hard on yourself."

Piper whipped around, desperation in her tangerine eyes. "It's my fault, Finn! My fault that they're gods know where! If he hadn't gone to pick up that book for me, he'd... he'd..."

Finn gathered the girl into a hug. _It's not your fault. _"And then it would be _you_ out there, and Aerrow driving himself nuts looking for you. Don't worry, Piper, this is _Aerrow _we'retalkingabout. He'll be fine."

"You really think so?" Piper whispered, her nose pressed against his collarbone.

"Totally. He's gonna be proud of you when he gets back, too."

Finn felt Piper snort softly in disbelief. "For what?"

"For keeping us together, for being your usual bossy self," Finn answered into her hair. He remembered the terrible feeling when Aerrow and Radarr had disappeared. No one had realized they hadn't come back that night 'til it was late the next morning. Finn remembered the despair, the horror, of realizing that everyone they asked hadn't seen or heard of anything. As if the redhead had just vanished. Piper was their rock in a sea of chaos.

"Ha ha. You're funny, Finn," Piper said, her voice thick with sarcasm, but she didn't break away.

"I know."


	17. Chapter 17

~**Losing** **Patience**~

Another day had passed into night and it was now quickly transcending into morning. Cyclonis was looking forward to a soak in a hot bath and finally some sleep. Something to hopefully soothe her nerves before she attended more Council meetings. Last night had been another token nightmare. She was trying to remember the relief she had felt when the Sky Knight had finally broke from his coma, but it was impossible to find.

_Council meetings... the Sky Knight... both seem like such fruitless tasks. Really, what is my importance in either? Despite the fact that I've passed the requirements to be considered a master, I'm still treated like a child, or at worst a potential brood mare. And the Sky Knight... at least he's honest about his disdain. _

~**Golden Rule**~

"I do wish you wouldn't vex her so much."

"Good morning to you too, Doctor."

"That's not an answer, young man."

"I didn't do anything!"

"_Really_... I do wish you would quit being so asinine towards her. You're only hurting yourself by being so difficult when she takes her shift."

"Why should I make it easy for her? It's becauseof _her_ that I'm in such a state!"

"And she's taking responsibilities for that."

"Oh yes, I feel so much better that she's demeaning herself to taking care of me. It almost makes me forget about the giant scar at the bottom of my ribcage."

"Trust me, young man; Cyclonis does not commit herself to demeaning acts. She looks after you because she wants to. And you're being very rude for not appreciating that fact."

"Oh please, she hates me, and she knows I hate her."

"That may be the case, but has she done anything detrimental to your care?"

"Uhh...no?"

"My point exactly. Master Cyclonis doesn't do things in half measures, young man. She has too much pride not to put her all into something, her care of you included. It would be appropriate if you showed the same courtesy."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"If she willing to nurse you to health, I think you should at least give her some respect while she does so. Just a token of respect, that's all I'm asking."

~**Simple Pleasures**~

Cyclonis knew when the Storm Hawk was awake. She played with a small crystal in her hand absently as she read, waiting. Waiting for the indignant huff, then the following snapping comments tossed back and forth. If one of her Talons had the gall to argue with her, they would have been viciously put in their place. She couldn't really do that to the redhead. His health was still delicate, and being flung into a wall and beaten senseless would do more harm than good. The doctor would hold his tongue, but he would have given her those disappointed looks. It was more trouble than it was worth.

"What, no soup today?"

Cyclonis looked up, trying to decipher the knight's tone, not detecting its usual sarcasm. She cautiously answered, "No, actually. The Doctor wants to start giving you something a little more solid."

An optimistic expression lit up the Sky Knight's face. _It's interesting how hopeful he is over a little variety. _Not that she blamed him. He had been fed a week's worth of soup. The primary concern had been to put weight on the boy, and the easiest way was something that could be simply enriched.

"What is it?"

Cyclonis restrained a smirk at the boy's eagerness. She tossed the small bag at her feet next to him. She was surprised when he caught it. _He's getting better quickly. It wasn't so long ago that he could barely sit up._

Another smirk threatened when Aerrow's expression became delighted at the contents: a small apple and a tiny wedge of cheese. Cyclonis noted his hesitation though.

"What? You not hungry?" she asked. _Brat_ she mentally added.

"No, just... thank you."

Cyclonis hated the slinking pleasure at those words. _I don't need thanks, even _if _it is long overdue._


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Sorry for the wait; I was waiting for the end of the month, meaning new prompts over at the fanfic_bakeoff (where these entries are submitted to). I was getting really sick and tired of the prompt token, let me tell you. Anyways, to Emma (seeing as you don't have an account here) just so you know - I appreciate each and every review you give. Your reviews are are always a ray of sunshone, my dear. This counts for everyone else; I love reading reviews, no matter how long or short. I love writing, but it's really the icing on the cake when someone else also tells me they happen to like it too! Anyways, enjoy this chapter my dears!

* * *

~ **King of the Castle **~

There was a change in their dynamic and Cyclonis wasn't sure if she liked it or not. Not that she didn't enjoy the reprieve from the constant insults but it left her floundering. She was used to have to constantly asserting herself, aggression shining through, but it didn't seem necessary anymore. It seemed like the sky knight had put aside his differences and refused to participate in any power struggle, despite how much she antagonized him. Now she didn't know where she stood. Well, she did, but she didn't. She knew that she was still the powerful one, but she didn't know where she stood in the sky knight's eyes. Was she a superior? A nursemaid? A nuisance? An equal?

She didn't like this confused feeling. She hadn't felt this confused since the fateful day when the oblivion crystal didn't work on Piper. She had hated the feeling then, and she hated it now. So she did what she always did when something confused her.

She ignored it.

~ **Mettle **~

Aerrow personally thought he deserved a big, shiny medal for the stuff he put up with. The Doctor had asked him to play nice, and so he was. He didn't pick fights with Cyclonis; he was always made a point to be polite to the crystal witch. But he was having a very _very_ hard time keeping his tongue in check.

She kind of reminded him of Finn in the way he would annoy people just to get their attention. But then he remembered he was dealing with Cylonis, and that made the analogy pretty stupid in his mind. Whatever made her a cruel heartless witch had to be a little more complicated than that.

And he was wondering if that was even really true. Sure she wasn't all sugar, spice and everything nice, but she wasn't exactly heartless. Maybe brutal, or definitely spiteful, but he could see that there were moments, glimmering under the surface, where she was gentle. It was in the way she had redid the dressing on his wound, or when she had fed him when he could barely sit up. Maybe it was from years of dealing with volatile crystals that she had just learned a delicate hand. He couldn't argue the Doctor's earlier statement – she really hadn't done anything detrimental to his health.

Except maybe bore him to death. With his health returning, so was his vigour. He wasn't really all that content just to lie around in bed anymore. Arguing with Cyclonis used to be good sport, but now that he was behaving... well there wasn't much else to do now was there?

"Don't you get bored babysitting?" he asked.

She lifted her book for him to see. "This is why I bring this, idiot. Why, are _you _bored?"

Aerrow lied. "No."

~** Two Sides to a Question **~

"I think there's something wrong with him," Cyclonis admitted. Her hands reflexively wrapped tighter around her mug of tea as she said the words. She stared into its depths, the crystal light leaving little spots of shine swimming on the surface.

The Doctor looked up from his own mug of tea, his grey eyes meeting her violet ones. "Now what makes you say that?" The Doctor leaned against the counter, his attention on her. They were in a small room converted into a convenient kitchenette. The doorless entry led down the hall to Aerrow's room so they spoke in cautious whispers.

"He's so _quiet _all the time."

The Doctor tilted his head. "I thought you were complaining about how annoying he was when he talked."

Cyclonis felt a sign of flustering before she clamped down on it and just glared. "_Yes_, I did say that," she hissed, "but it's not natural for him to be so quiet, it's almost like he _lives_ to defy me."

She received a nod to her statement. "Very true, but I think you're missing something."

"And _what,"_ Cyclonis spat, "Pray tell, would that be?"

The Doctor was immune to his Master's moods, having survived so many. "That the boy has manners, and that he can be very polite."

She scoffed, "Unlikely."

Another nod from the Doctor, who chose not to argue.

"He's probably just bored, maybe that's he's so withdrawn."

A thoughtful look passed over the empress's face. "What would you suggest?"

"Books, a conversation, perhaps even play a game with him?"

Cyclonis's venomous glare was back. "I'm not a child, and I don't play _games."_

"Of course not, Master," was the idle response.


	19. Chapter 19

~ **I Doubt It**~

Aerrow was, suffice to say, a little shocked when Cyclonis dropped the deck of cards in his lap.

"Shuffle."

The Sky Knight couldn't help the incredulous look her gave her. "Excuse me?"

Amethyst eyes glared into emerald. "Shuffle. The. Cards. Can you do that?"

Aerrow did as he was asked, mainly because of the force of Cyclonis's vehemence. "And _why_ am I doing this?"

Cyclonis dragged her chai rcloser to his bedside, and draped herself dramatically into it. Exasperation was clearly written on her features. "You have to shuffle the cards in order to play any card games, idiot."

Aerrow looked at her from the corner of his eyes, truly interested now. "You mean that you _and_ me are going to play a card game? Like together?"

Cyclonis continued her glaring, and Aerrow could have sworn he saw her eye twitch.

"Yes," was the low answer, "Is there a problem with that?"

Aerrow shook his head, still shuffling. "No, I just never would have pegged you the type to play card games."

"I have a headache, and reading in this lowlight will agitate it. I need _something_ to occupy my mind," was the ground out answer.

"Sooooo, what we playing?" Aerrow drawled.

Without missing a beat she responded, "Bullshit."


	20. Chapter 20

_A/N:_ I just want to thank you all again for all the lovely reviews. I was actually a little stunned at how fast you guys reviewed when the last chapter was released!

In other things: don't worry we'll be getting back to the brewing Cyrrow. Just have to build up the plot in other areas too (and seriously, don't tell me you're not even a little curious about what's going on with the Storm Hawks that are still at the roost?)

I also love thesauruses, and old English lit.

* * *

~ **Ensconce** ~

Finn was fixing his not-so-shiny-anymore ride (he swore to God that piece of machinery hated him). Junk was busy tweaking his own ride next to Finn. It was an activity that they had been doing together since forever.

It was during those times they talked about everything; from girls to sky rides, and from last night's dinner to the future. This particular conversation was a little deeper than typical.

"Hey, Finn?"

"Yeah, buddy?" the blonde automatically responded.

"Do you ever dream about stuff?"

Finn wrestled with a stubborn bolt. "Pfft, yeah, all the time."

"I mean... not the usual dream stuff, but you know..." Junko mused, trying to find the words.

Finn was still struggling to loosen a particular bolt. "Yeah?"

"It's hard to explain..."

The sharp shooter was really put all his muscle behind that bolt now. "You don't say," he wheezed.

"Yeah, it was like we never left Atmos. It was like the when we were kids; fighting Cyclonians and stuff."

"Sounds like a pretty sucky dream to me, pal," Finn grunted.

Junko nodded, fiddling with a wrench. "Yeah, but at least in my dream we still won against the bad guys, like we used to. And we still had Aerrow, I remember that part of the dream, too." There was a wistfulness to the Wallop's voice that Finn sympathized with all too well.

"And there wasn't one hot chick in this dream?"

Junko's ears twitched in disappointment. "That's not the point, Finn. Don't you get it?"

Sad thing, though, was that Finn _did _get it, but if he admitted that it would be admitting how wrong everything was now. "What's there to get?" Finn bluffed.

"Never mind. Do you want help with that?"

"Sure."

With those words everything was alright, for a moment.

~ **Evanesce**~

"It's pointless!" Stork argued, "It's been a month, Piper. We have to face the possibility that-"

"Don't say it, Stork! Don't you d_are_ say it!" Piper shouted.

"Piper, listen" Stork replied, trying to be calm and soothing, "we have to move on at some point. There are other things that need to be done..."

"NO! I won't listen! Do you hear yourself? If it was one of us out there Aerrow would never_ stop _looking."

Stork shook his head sadly, always the pragmatic one. "We have to face that we're never going to find him; it's been too long."

"He's not DEAD!" Piper screamed, lunging for the Merb.

Finn threw himself in front of the enraged crystal specialist; a mad light was shining in her eyes.

"Woah, woah! Everybody friggin' chill 'kay? Nobody's saying Aerrow is dead." Finn hated this; normally he was the one that had to be calmed down from hysterics.

"Then why are you suggesting we stop looking?" Piper yelled.

"Piper," Finn cut in, "we're not going to stop looking for him. We'll find him, but it's gonna be later than sooner. Stork is right; there are other things that have to be done."

"But we know who has him!"

"But the council warned us not to bother her," was Junko's answer.

"We're not going to rescue anybody if we're all dead," Stork barked.

"I know, I know."Piper acquiesced. It looked like her resolve was softening, but it snapped right back.

"That doesn't make you any less the cowards," she hissed, leaving the room in a fury.

"Well, that could have gone better," Stork remarked.

"You don't say," Finn retorted, sarcasm thick in his voice.

"Mhmm... First Aerrow and Radarr. Now Piper... we're-"

"If you say we're doomed, I'll smack you, Stork," Finn promised.

~ **Nepenthe** ~

"You calmed down from your little fit yet?" Finn called out. He wasn't sure she had heard; the wind was whipping violently. It was way past dark, and the cloud cover eclipsed any shining stars.

"I _said-_"

"I heard what you said," Piper snapped, "And it wasn't a fit."

Finn joined Piper by the railing, trying to be casual. "What'd you call that then?"

"A debate."

"Riiiiight," the blonde drawled.

Piper sighed in frustration. "Why are you here, Finn?"

"Just making sure you're not gonna do anything stupid."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Example?"

"I dunno... like go after Cyclonis by yourself?"

The crystal mage snorted. "And you haven't even thought about it?"

"Yeah, course I've thought about it. Doesn't mean I'm gonna do it."

"I've more than thought about it. You know what I see when I go to sleep at night? I see her gloating over Aerrow's dead body. And then we fight; sometimes I kill her, sometimes it's the other way around. Sometimes in my dreams, Aerrow talks to me, blaming me."

Finn was at a loss for words; he searched the moonless sky for an answer.

"I'm sick and tired of the same thing night after night."

The sharp shooter could feel tangerine eyes staring at him. "What do want me to do about it?"

"Make it go away," was the soft request.

Blue eyes met amber. "How?"

Piper gave him an unreadable expression.

"How?" Finn asked a little louder, tired of everything.

Suddenly, Finn realized how close Piper was. He could feel her body heat; smell her, even.

_A breath..._

And Piper's lips were pressed against his own.

She made to move away, but Finn wrapped an arm around her waist. "Piper...?"

"Make the bad dreams go away," she asked softly.

"I can do that."

~ **Vicissitude**~

Stork may be all things odd, but at least he was discrete; a trait Piper had always loved him for. He pretended not to notice that she had left Finn's room and not her own. She could see in the way his eye twitched that he didn't approve, but he held his tongue.

"So, what brings you on deck this fine and early morning?" It was almost still too early to be called morning by any sensible person, but Stork was a freakishly early riser. And these past insomniac weeks, Piper had picked up the same routine.

"I want you to set a new course."

"Ah, yes. Another slave camp you want us to liberate?" _Another pointless search for Aerrow?_ were the words left unsaid.

"No, actually. You remember that mountain range, the one that had the little alcove that we stayed in?"

"Are we talking about the mountain range that messed with our equipment because of its magnetic field? The one where we almost died?"

"The very same."

A blank look fell on Stork's face. "Then, yes, I remember. Against my better judgement I'm going ask, why?"

"Because we're going there."

"Again, I ask _why_! We barely survived the last time!" Stork flipped.

"Because it'll make the perfect base of operations," was Piper's calm response.

"For what?"

"You were right, Stork," Piper admitted, "We need to move on. And that's what we're gonna do."

"You've got a plan don't you?" Stork grumbled.

Piper quirked an eyebrow, "I do."

"Hm... Despite the fact that you're surely dooming us all to horrible deaths, this is much better than you moping."

"Thanks Stork."

"Oh don't thank me yet. I still have to get us there first, and in one piece. This is gonna be _fun_."


	21. Chapter 21

~ **Unfriendly Fire **~

"I still say this is a bad idea," Stork grumbled.

The sun was only starting to set in the green sky; they typically only moved at night ever since a bounty had been put on their heads for freeing the slaves.

"Stork, we're really close to Circini – we need the light if we're going to land there. What's the worst that could happen?"

Suddenly the whole Condor shook violently. Alarm sirens went off, indicating damage somewhere.

Flatly, Stork answered, "That."

Junko and Finn came running into room. "Uh, someone want to explain why the military is shooting at us? I know the council are bad guys but I thought they still believed in a wacked out sense of code?"

"They do," Piper answered simply, "They should have issued a warning before they opened fire."

Piper placed her hand on the Stork's shoulder, "How far are we to Circini?"

"Oh, about another half hour. But if we take any more damage to our engines..."

_Crap_, Piper thought. "Then let's give them a chase, Stork. Junko, we took some damage. Go down to the engine room and get it fixed."

Junko nodded, already running out. "Gotcha."

"And what about me?" Finn asked.

Piper flashed a wicked grin. "We're going to give them a taste of their own medicine. Let's see how they like being shot at."

"Chika cha!" Finn shouted. "Payback is a bitch, baby!"

~ **Mayday **~

Stork had a white knuckled grip on the steering wheel. The _Condor _shuddered from impacts. _Come on, baby, I know you can make it. Just a little farther..._

They were still ten or fifteen minutes away from Mount Circini; he knew because the equipment was already giving him inaccurate readings. He had to do everything by sight. A lesser pilot wouldn't have been able to do it, but then he wasn't a normal pilot. The _Condor _was his baby, and he could fly her blind if he had to.

He was grateful that Piper and Finn were doing their best to keep those Council dogs off their hull, if they hadn't they would have been shot down already. Junko was still keeping the engine running and alive, but for how much longer, Stork didn't want to hazard a guess. He was giving her for all she had, and the engine was bound to be overheating soon.

It was times like these that he missed Aerrow and his fearless bravado. _Can't think about that, just focus on staying in the air!_

Circini was looming in front of them, and the Merb could feel timid elation. Any minute now the military had to back off – their ships were larger than the _Condor_ and would never be able to navigate the mountains once they truly lost their equipment. The Storm Hawks just had to last a little longer...

The _Condor _suddenly rocked violently, nearly tossing Stork to the floor. A resounding and loud _boom_ made his bones reverberate. In his disorientation he noticed that his ship was starting to nosedive. He pulled up, his lithe muscles straining. The ground was looming closer and closer.

As Stork prepared for impact a single thought ran through his head, _I knew this was a bad idea._

* * *

_A/N: _You guys must really hate me now because of all the cliffhangers I leave you with. I have to keep you guys hooke dsomehow *wink*

Anyways... I also aplolgize - some of you mentioned that you felt Piper was a little OOC last chapter. I could argue the point, but it would be useless. Maybe it's because I'm writing this story and know what the characters are supposed to be feeling - in Piper's case, extreme guilt, stress and grief, which are toxic enough for a person's behaviour, but combined... will lead to OOCness. Point I'm making is that as an author it's my responsibility to make sure that you, the readers, understand character motivation and I'm sorry that I didn't succeed, but I'm glad it was pointed out. It helps me learn from my mistakes and be a better writer.

Expect the next chapter soon!


	22. Chapter 22

~ **Compasses** ~

"You always leave so punctually, it's made me curious," a man asked, right on her heels. She had done her bloody best to lose him, but he was a foot taller than her and could easily keep up with her fast stride.

"I'm a busy woman, Shrike. There are other things that require my attention," she responded coldly. She wanted to fling him against a wall for his impertinence, but she had to behave because he was Furor's son. Politics!

"You work too hard. You really should take an evening off and have dinner with my father and me. We both would enjoy your company."

_Yes, so you can gloat and preen with an audience? Hell no._ "I'm sorry, I must really decline. I would hate to disturb your father; I know how busy he is at current." _Ha._

"I'm sure-" Shrike argued, but he was artfully interrupted.

"How is your new position in the military?" _Not that I care._

A smug grin appeared on Shrike's handsome features, "It's going very well. It's so much better to be in _control_ of the Storm Hawks problem. Not that there's much of one anymore"

"Oh?" Cyclonis asked absently. She was still hoping he would pick up her sour mood and leave.

Narcissistic to a sickening degree, Shrike continued, "Yes, I lead a team myself to arrest the Storm Hawks in regards to the rash slave camp breakouts. They resisted, of course, and we shot them down."

Cyclonis's pace stuttered before becoming strong again. "You've collected their ship and their bodies as confirmation?"

"Not exactly," Shriek's smug grin lost some of its shiny glow, "They disappeared around Mount Circini. Because of the magnetic field, we aren't able to confirm or deny anything. But I'm positive they're dead, I saw them crash."


	23. Chapter 23

~ **The Lion's Outside Your Door** ~

Cyclonis was sure that Shrike was exaggerating in regards to the fate of the Storm Hawks. She knew that the Council's military was a powerful force to contended with, and Shrike was ruthless (she might have admired him for it if he wasn't so asinine). But it was the _Storm_ _Hawks_; they made it a perpetual habit to defy the odds and come out on top. That's why she didn't think much about it; they'd pop up and continue to make a nuisance of themselves.

The Council had declared them unofficially dead; even if they had survived the crash the Council personally believed that the Storm Hawks would never survive the harsh, frozen mountain for very long. It would take months for an official report, though. Airships would never get close to Circini because of its magnetic field, and it was dangerous for Skimmers because of the constant fog and sudden storms. A land team had to climb all the way up to the site of the crash and make their report. It was going to be a long wait.

She took her evening shifts with Aerrow, and every morning went to Council meetings expecting news that would indicate the Storm Hawks return. More slave camp breakouts, mining operations sabotaged, or some other kitsch Robin Hood scenario. Nothing happened.

It was the third day when she started to get concerned, the fourth actually worried and by the fifth, alarmed. There wasn't whiff or whisper of a rumour to indicate their survival. Shrike might have actually succeeded where she had always failed.

And once again all her shining, magnificent plans were put to ruin.

~ **The Wolf's In Your Bed** ~

She was in her crystals lab when the Doctor found her.

"Master Cyclonis, may I have a word?"

Cyclonis twirled her hand to indicate that she was listening. Her eyes still stayed on her work, though.

"I was wondering why you haven't visited us in a while."

"I have other duties that need my attention. The boy's health is stable; I don't have to waste my time making sure he doesn't die in his sleep anymore."

"Yes, but you were so vehement about being involved. I thought you intended to take full control in regards to his care? What changed?"

_What changed? The fact that he's near useless to me now!_

Cylonis answered coldly, "My business is my own; you had best remember that."

Like a dog with a bone, the Doctor refused to let it go. "I understand, Master Cyclonis, but I think it's unfair to the boy to drop him just because he's no longer a viable pawn. Nobody expected the Storm Hawks to be killed."

Cyclonis spun around in a rage, her eyes shining with fury. An arm shot out and the Doctor found himself hovering and wrapped tight in energy. "Who told you this?" She hissed, an eerie Mephistophelian echo running underneath her voice.

"No one! It was purely observational! I knew who he was from descriptions. Your hatred of the Storm Hawks is well known, the fact they were looking for him and the secrecy surrounding the boy's care, and you're own involvement... you're a woman of purpose, not sympathy."

The Doctor watched Cyclonis, trying to read her impassive eyes. For a terrifying moment he was sure he was going to die.

"Leave," was her only command before she dropped him to the floor.

~ **The Lion Eats His Fill** ~

She stayed late; the morning sun was just starting to shine. Very little work was accomplished, though. Her mind was too preoccupied with her earlier conversation with the Doctor.

It really shouldn't have shocked her that he had figured it out. That's why the only people who knew about the boy's existence in her home were herself and the Doctor; the dots were easy enough to connect. At the mines she had told Gyps the boy had died and dropped into the incinerator while she had stayed. Gyps believed it fully, and put it into the log book; just another mark in the tally of dead slaves for that year, no name or reason.

If someone had been able to figure out Aerrow had been at the mines, they would have either found nothing or discovered he had died. For all intensive purposes, Aerrow didn't exist to the outside world anymore. Which was what had made it perfect.

She would have passed Aerrow off to the Storm Hawks, once he was healthy, like she had told him she would. They would be expecting the trap, but none would spring. But then, she didn't need one. She wouldn't even have to see them again. The tiny little crystal imbedded in the base of Aerrow's skull would do her dirty work; it was like a hypnosis crystal, but a subconscious suggestion was already in place. When she chose to, Cyclonis would activate it remotely, and the Sky Knight would go into a frenzied murderous rage.

Cyclonis really thought she had been rather genius with the idea. Aerrow would be the sole survivor, but left with the guilt of killing his squad, if he ever snapped out of the hypnosis. It was pretty useless now.

It made keeping Aerrow pretty useless, too.

~ **The Wolf Cleans Up The Mess** ~

A few more days passed, and the Doctor came to give her his report. The Storm Hawk was well enough now to start physiotherapy, maybe even to start walking soon. He had asked her what he should do, and she told him to proceed.

He also had the audacity to mention that Aerrow had been asking after her, and he had told the boy that she was sick. The Doctor had left pretty quickly after that.

Now she was left alone in her crystals lab. She wasn't sure why she had told the Doctor to continue his work. Her plans for the Sky Knight were now next to useless, making him a drain of resources. It was pointless – keeping him that was.

_Keeping him_... it made him sound like a pet, not a person. But wasn't that what he was really? Some sort of pet or project that she had taken a shine to? He was a means to an end. Expendable.

It was just a matter of _how_ to get rid of him. She couldn't just drop him off on some village. That would be counterproductive to her whole existence. And she couldn't hand him over to the Council - that would put her at risk.

So that just left her with killing him. It was logical. It was obvious. It was so very Cyclonis.

And yet...

It bothered her, for some reason.

_Tsk. I'm getting soft. _With that thought, she reached a decision. Tomorrow she'd tell the Doctor to inject the Sky Knight with something – she was sure he had something that could be of use. The Sky Knight would get a quiet, peaceful death. A part of her still was queasy about it, but she told herself that she was doing the red-head a mercy.

* * *

_A/N:_ Here you guys are hoping for some Cyrrow and you get this instead. And you all thought Aerrow was safe from a death sentence didn't you? And hopefully this chapter clears up some confusion about why Shrike was so quick to judge (that and he's an ass, but you all knew that). Expect the next chapter over the next few days.


	24. Chapter 24

~ **Inner Universe** ~

They were in her throne room, her staff pointed at the Sky Knight's heart – her crystal shining with a dangerous light. The Council's military dogs circled them, jeering. Shrike was amongst them, practically salivating at the potential kill.

Emerald eyes bore into her violet ones. "If our positions had been reversed, I would have never handed you over to these monsters."

She glared back, digging her crystal staff into his sternum. "How touching."

Blood was trickling down his face, but Aerrow didn't seem to notice. "You know it's the truth, and what's right."

"What matters is surviving."

"Don't you have a heart?" He asked.

_Why are we talking about this? _She thought, but she answered, as if possessed, "Haven't you heard? I'm heartless."

"Nobody is completely heartless. Sometimes your heart is just somewhere else."

_Why does this feel scripted?_ Cyclonis had no idea why this was happening, or why the only person she could really see clearly was Aerrow.

She was about to answer, but then saw something terrifying. Shrike was aiming a crystal tipped spear, charged and ready to fire. And it was aimed at her.

"What are you doing?" she asked her mouth dry, "I'm giving him to you!"

The shot was fired, and she could see it coming towards her painfully slow. Next thing she knew she was skidding on the floor and Aerrow was falling.

She was at his side, holding his face in her hands. The gore of his wound was flecked on his pale skin.

"Why did you do that?"

"I already told you... I wouldn't give you... to these _monsters_."

Behind her Cyclonis knew Shrike was aiming for another shot... heard it firing, the air sizzling as it reached her...

She woke up, terrified and almost screaming. It was just a nightmare.

~**Straitjacket** **Feeling**~

It was a dreary morning when it finally came. She thought that she was too old for nightmares, but she just couldn't shake the sick feeling that came from it. She had meant to meet with Doctor that morning before she left for the Council, but that just wasn't going to happen. The orders for the Doctor could wait. It wasn't like the Sky Knight was going anywhere.

And as much as she'd like to deny it, she knew the Storm Hawks too well. It might have been over a week since their disappearance, but they still might pop up. That was a decent enough excuse to hold back wasn't it? Wouldn't do to be too hasty, after all.

She'd analyze the dream later – it had to be the heavy meal she had before bed.

~ **Splish** **Splash** ~

Cyclonis stalked down the hall. Another nightmare another night and she was sick of it. The nightmares hadn't stopped; they getting worse. Enough was enough. She didn't have those damn _dreams_ before the Sky Knight, therefore he was cause. So, if she got rid of him, the dreams should also go away. Simple.

_I don't care if the Storm Hawks are still kicking around somewhere... damn the consequences. I want to get a decent night's sleep!_

It didn't take her long to burst through the locked doors of the suite that she had come to think of as _his._ The crystal light shone weakly, but she could tell immediately that Aerrow wasn't in his bed. He wasn't anywhere in the room.

She heard voices coming from the bathroom.

Cyclonis walked through the open entry, startling the occupants.

The Doctor's eyebrows rose, before furrowing into concern at the wild look shining in her eyes.

"Hey!" Aerrow yelled, hunkering deeper in the tub, blushing furiously, "Do you _mind?_"

There was a small privacy screen between the two men, but there was nothing to block a person's view from the door.

At Cyclonis's lack of a sharp response, and the fact that she was still in her nightclothes with a hastily thrown on robe, the Doctor's concern grew. "Master Cyclonis, is everything alright?"

That snapped her out of it. The two men would dare say that she almost looked _flustered._ "Yes, of course, why wouldn't I?"

"It's just..." the Doctor trailed off.

"I just wanted to inform you that I'll be taking my normal shift this evening."

The Doctor wasn't satisfied, but he nodded anyways. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

Still blushing, Aerrow threw his two cents in. "Yeah, that's really nice and all, but can you get out now?"

~ **Sensorium** ~

Cyclonis's temper brewed as she curled up in a chair. She had been ready to give the order, throw him out the window herself if need be. But _noooo_, she had to think how pathetic and vulnerable the boy looked in the tub. And then she got all... _sympathetic. _And then the Doctor was talking to her and then she realized she couldn't make the order...

The Sky Knight was playing solitaire on the bed, a towel draped over his shoulders as his hair dried.

"So are you feeling better?" Aerrow asked, his eyes on the cards.

"If you're referring to earlier..." she growled. What had gone wrong? Was it her? Was she going soft?

"No, the Doctor mentioned you were sick, _soooooo_..." Aerrow asked, trailing off.

"Oh," Cyclonis said, giving Aerrow her full attention, "I _am_ better, but why would _you_ care?"

Aerrow straightened the stacks of cards. "Why wouldn't I?"

She sighed at the obviousness of the answer. "Because we're enemies."

Aerrow gave her an incredulous look. Shining beads of water were clinging to the tips of his hair and broke free from the small movement. "Sure, there's that, but that doesn't means I'm heartless towards you. You're still a human being, and that means I can still care."

Cyclonis couldn't help the cold feeling that ran through her veins. Aerrow's words seemed to echo her dreams. It was far too freaky to be comfortable.

"I mean," Aerrow halted, straightening the cards again, "You care a little, right? Otherwise why would you be here, helping me and stuff?"

"I'm here because I have to. Nothing more."

"Oh," Aerrow said, and Cyclonis swore she heard a thread of disappointment in it. And she almost thought she could feel a stirring of guilt in her chest because of it.


	25. Chapter 25

~ **Friendly Banter** ~

Strangely enough, Aerrow noticed that they (being himself and Cyclonis) both seemed at their happiest when bantering back and forth. It wasn't as sharp and insulting like it once was, but it hadn't lost any of its heat. Aerrow wasn't sure, but he was getting the silly idea that Cyclonis's bark was worse than her bite, and she liked it when someone barked back. And then he realized it was _Cyclonis_ that he was referring to and decided it was time to get his head checked.

But the thought wouldn't go away, and it wasn't helped by the glint that shone in the young empress's eyes. It was either a dare or a challenge, maybe a little bit of both. Whatever it was, it was the closest thing that he had seen the dark queen to being happy. And the fact that it was because of _him_... there was a weird sense of pride that came with that.

* * *

_A/N:_ Sorry about the long wait and just getting this tiny chapter - I got hit with dastardly writers block. Hopefully I can shake it sooner rather than later.


	26. Chapter 26

~ **Hit the Books** ~

Cyclonis was in the communal library, surrounded by its oldest books. She was compiling research for her current project. It was based off the paper that she had submitted months ago, about energy transference via unstable crystals. Furor had found it fascinating, and between the two of them they had started a heated discussion. Furor believed that if a crystal's innate energy and the property of that energy could be transferred to an unstable crystal, why not a stable one?

Furor wanted her to continue the research, but the Council had already passed over her paper and weren't interested. It was Furor's backing and credit with the Council that was enabling her to pursue it, with Master Furor overseeing her work. In his early days he had discovered that crystal resonance decreased with distance, but if a catalyst was used it could increase the range of the resonance, and probably transcend space and time. He had really made a more advanced version of the time pulse. She hadn't been very interested in it at the beginning, but Furor's enthusiasm for the project was infectious. Not to mention helpful.

Cyclonis had balked at the idea of her work being overseen, but Furor allowed freedom in her experiments, and merely gave her nudges in the right directions. He was too busy with his own work in excavating the old ruins.

The way he talked about his theories made his eyes shine in a way that reminded her of amber eyes. And Cyclonis couldn't help but be drawn in – over the years she had missed the praise and attention of an older peer since the tragedy with Dark Ace. Cyclonis found the Furor to be the closest thing to a friend she had had in a long while.

* * *

_A/N:_ Yes, no Cyrrow this chapter, (next one, promise) but just as important because it's setting up plot further down the line. Trust me, you'll thank me for all this set up later.


	27. Chapter 27

~ **Deal With It** ~

The physiotherapy the Doctor was forcing him through was torture. His muscles burned and it made him cranky. And it was frustrating because he hadn't even start walking around yet! They were just using weights!

"It doesn't take long for muscles to atrophy, and we have to take precautions for the wound on your side. It may appear completely healed on the outside but it's stilling healing on the inside," was the Doctor's explanation at the slow progression he was forced to take. Aerrow just wanted to walk!

Unsurprisingly, this dampened his typically outgoing demeanour.

"Will you quit it? Cylonis demanded from the opposite side of the chess board. Sometimes they took a break from cards to play something more tactical, like chess. Aerrow was hopeless at it.

"Quit what," Aerrow said in a surly tone. He glared at the board and sighed.

"That," she said, her eyes narrowing. She scratched her collar bone, an aggravated look on her face. "You're _huffing_ and it's annoying."

"I am not _huffing_ and even if I was you try not to when you're... this," Aerrow gestured at himself.

"You've always been pathetic; I don't know why you would choose _now _to get upset about it."

Frustration shone in Aerrow's eyes, "I was referring to how I can barely walk. I'm weak, and to use your words... pathetic."

She raised an eyebrow. "Then do something about it."

He hissed through clenched teeth, "I'm trying, but you have no idea of the _pain._"

Cyclonis scratched again at her collarbone a little more thoroughly, "If you want a lesson in _pain_, Sky Knight, I will gladly teach it. 'Til then, keep your huffing to yourself and the Doctor who cares to hear it."

~ **Strange** **Offers** ~

The Sky Knight wasn't sure how it happened, but he could now easily recognize Cyclonis's moods. Maybe it was all those games they played: games that forced you to pay attention to your opponent and try to read them.

In any case he knew Cyclonis was exhausted where she was curled in the chair, book on her lap. The copious amounts of makeup she wore barely hid the shadows under her eyes. It brought out the empathy in him. Cyclonis might be a morally questionable and the irritable sort of person, but she was still a person. She just had... quirks.

"Are you getting enough sleep?"

She gave him one of her stock glares. "What's it to you?"

Aerrow shrugged. "Well, if you wanted you could sleep for a bit."

She played along, her voice dry though, "And where would I sleep, genius?"

"We could switch spots?"

"And have you fall asleep in the chair? I'm sure the Doctor will approve."

Aerrow's next suggestion had him blushing. "We could share," he mumbled. The bed was definitely more than spacious for two.

Cyclonis eyes widened and then she laughed. Not maniacal, malicious laughter, but honest laughter. It didn't help Aerrow's blush.

Laughter still ringing in her voice she simply said, "Not likely."

Thoroughly embarrassed Aerrow mumbled, "It's not like I tried something."

She snorted, "Yeah right."

Aerrow's blush deepened, "I'm a perfect gentleman, thank you."

Cyclonis burst into another fit of laughter, "We're clearly thinking of different things, Sky Knight. I was referring to how you might try to hold me hostage, or try to leave. Or some other crazy idea."

"Like I could hold _you _hostage. Anyone tell you how paranoid you are?"

The wistful light that in her eyes stopped shining, "It's kept me alive all these years."

~ **Painful Revelations** ~

"Now breathe deep, in and out."

Aerrow did as he was asked, feeling the cold, shining metal of the stethoscope on his skin.

"Everything sounds to be in good working order..."

From her place near the door Cyclonis said, "That's good news."

Aerrow jumped. He wasn't sure when she had arrived; she was so damn silent when she wanted to be.

"Master, you've been well, I hope?"

"Of course, what would give you the impression that it was otherwise?" Violet eyes glared at the red head.

"Isn't it a polite courtesy to ask that sort of thing? Especially since I'm a doctor?"

Cyclonis snorted dismissively. "Isn't your shift over?"

The Doctor gave a small smile. He was used to her callousness. "In such a rush to get rid of me?" He teased.

Cyclonis shrugged listlessly, and the audible click of teeth was heard as her jaw clenched shut.

"Master Cyclonis?" There was concern in the Doctor's voice. Aerrow sat up straight in the bed.

"I'm fine," she hissed, but her hand was pressed to the base of the wide collar that her mane rested on.

The Doctor lead her to the chair, "No you're not fine."

"It's nothing, so fuck off," Cyclonis grumbled, digging in her heels when the Doctor tried to make her sit.

"Sit down, now," The Doctor ordered, his voice full of authority. Cyclonis dutifully collapsed into the chair, her eyes wide at the command. She was a little shocked.

"If I may?" The Doctor asked, his hands on the Cyclonis's wide collar. She nodded.

The Doctor's fingers unlocked hidden catches and slowly started to lift the large collar with the attached mane. Aerrow tried to quell his bursting curiosity - this was a rare sight. He kind of wished he hadn't, though, when he finally understood.

~ **Doctor's Orders** ~

The Doctor lifted the contraption, revealing slender inch long spikes that were attached underneath the collar. The spikes slid soundlessly from holes in Cyclonis's skin, and most of the holes were red and aggravated looking. Some were even bleeding.

Someone hissed when the thing was completely off. Aerrow thought maybe it was him.

The Doctor sighed. "You know better than to let it get like this," he lectured, tutting, "I wouldn't be surprised if you've been sleeping in it. You push yourself too hard."

Cyclonis just grumbled something that sounded like, "mind your own business."

The Doctor addressed the boy, "Aerrow can you get the gauze and disinfectant from my bag? It's on the night stand."

Aerrow did as he was told, finding it and handing it over for the Doctor when he needed it. The Sky Knight had to give the empress her due; she didn't moan and complain when the wounds were disinfected. She just gritted her teeth.

The Doctor quickly tapped wads of gauze over each of the little holes. "I would tell you to stop wearing that damn thing, at least, until it looks better, but you're not liable to listen to me are you?"

The older man's ramblings were met with silence.

"The least you can do is not wear it when you take your shifts. It'll give a chance for that to breathe."

A nod was the answer, but there was a glare shining in her eyes and a stubborn set to her jaw.

"Are you done lecturing or can I take my shift now?"

~ **Silent** **Night** ~

The Doctor had left hours ago, but a strange silence still hung. Cyclonis stewed, a book in her lap; she wasn't in any mood to entertain. Aerrow didn't know what to say. He had questions, but he wasn't sure how to ask them. Why did that thing have spikes, and what was the point of them? Why did she wear something so barbaric? He remembered how the tips shone in the light. Didn't it hurt?

Instead he watched her from the corner of his eye as he read his own book.

"You can quit sneaking glances at me," she drawled, "Go ahead and ask your questions already."

He hesitated before saying the first thing that came to mind. "Aren't you tired?"

That wasn't what she had been expecting. "I guess so," she admitted cautiously.

"Then why don't you get some sleep? I don't mind."

"I'm not interested," she groaned.

"Fine, don't sleep then. Just sit here and read like you are now. You'll read. I'll read. That's all."

"I don't need your pity, Sky Knight," was the blithe response.

"It's not pity!"

"I still don't trust you," she retorted.

"I _promise _that all I'm going to do is sit and read."

Cyclonis hesitated, and Aerrow saw his chance and took it. "I _promise_," he repeated, trying to convey his honesty. It bothered him being so mistrusted.

She looked ready to shoot him down again, like before, but she surprised him. She abandoned her chair and made her way to the other side of the bed. She gave him one more doubtful work before settling cautiously on top of the covers. Aerrow pretended his attention was on his book as she curled up next to him a respectable distance away. Silence stretched once more, but it was far companionable.

* * *

_A/N:_ Oh my, is this Cyrrow I see? Yes, yes it is! Thank you all for being so patient. Also, to Invader Insane - if you were to draw fanart I would do a little danc eand die of happiness (and sorry I took so long to reply)


	28. Chapter 28

~ **Don't Judge a Book...**~

As she sat next to him, her legs neatly folded under her, he couldn't shake peculiar thoughts. Like how young and fragile she looked. It was like she transformed, or maybe that she had lost her mask, when the barbaric mane (or hood) was taken off.

Without the signature fringes framing her face she looked... well, Aerrow wanted to use the word _normal_. She didn't look like empress that had been the bane of the Storm Hawks. And then she would say something in the only way that she could, the trademark Cyclonis way, and the shining illusion would disappear for a while, but it always came back.

~ **Family Values** ~

Some days of the physiotherapy were worse than others, and at the end of those days Aerrow was too tired for anything more than casual conversation.

He got the impression that it suited Cyclonis just fine; sometimes she looked too tired for anything more than casual conversation herself. Maybe it was because they were both so tired that Aerrow had the courage to ask the question he wanted to days earlier.

"How does it work?" She knew what he was referring to.

She subconsciously touched the marks marring her skin; three little holes along the bottom of her collarbone. "Nerves, the spikes connect with the nerves. You control it with your mind, like a muscle. It's a part of you, just like any body part." Apparently Cyclonis was tired enough to answer.

"So anyone could just wear it and that's how it would work?" Aerrow asked next to her. The idea of those spikes entering someone's skin, their body, was sickening.

She shook her head and settled further into the pillows. She had continued taking up a spot on the bed after the first time. "No, you have to start when you're very young, otherwise you won't learn how to manipulate it."

Aerrow gave a concerned look. "How young..."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I've had it for as long as a can remember."

A disgusted face replaced the concern. "Who would do that to a child?"

"My grandmother."

~ **Crumbling Boundaries** ~

She rubbed the salve across her collarbone, and swept it across the base of her neck. The Doctor always left a little jar behind at the end of her shift, and he made a point of her seeing him doing it. It had a sharp, clean smell, like eucalyptus.

"Doesn't that sting?" Aerrow couldn't help but ask as he watched her knead the salve into her skin.

She was sitting at the opposite side of the bed, her back to him. She turned her head so she could look at him from the corner of her eye. "Does what sting?"

He brushed his fingers across her shoulder blades, a trailing arc below two little holes on either side of her spine (three in the front, two on the back – fives spikes, five little holes). He jumped a little on the inside at the contact. He had expected such an icy, aloof woman to be cool to the touch, but her skin was warm. She just narrowed her eyes before leaning back, hand searching for his side. The palm of her hand rested on where she knew the scar would be.

"Does that hurt?"

Aerrow remembered a similar touch, and how much the light contact had hurt. This time he just felt pressure. And something else. Her fingertips were resting so lightly that it was ticklish.

"No."

She leaned away, twisting the lid back onto the jar, and placed it on the nightstand. Aerrow noted that her hair still skimmed her shoulders, like when she had been younger.

"Well then you have your answer. And, Sky Knight? Touch me again and I'll break your arm."

* * *

_A/N:_ It's the weekend once more! It was my goal to be up to chapter 30 before Monday, but I'm not sure it'll happen - you might have to wait two or three long days for another chapter. I work nights on the weekends, and seeing as I typically do most of my writing at night... well yeah. Thought you guys might care to know since you're all so understanding. Cheers! And thanks again for each and everyone of you who takes your time to review.


	29. Chapter 29

~ **Mirror, Mirror** ~

Cyclonis stared at herself in the mirror. She had never been fond of mirrors; she had never liked what she had seen there. The reflection that shined back at her was completely alien. She wasn't wearing her birthright: the semi-sentient collar with its feathered mane. She didn't see Master Cyclonis; she wasn't sure who she saw.

_I don't know why you insist on wearing it_ the Doctor's voice rang in her head. It had been another one of their arguments.

She had answered that it was tradition for Masters. It distinguished them from the plebes.

He had chuckled at her serious answer. _Isn't it also tradition for you to be married by now?_

He infuriated her, that Doctor. He reminded of her father, to a point. He hadn't liked the collar, either. He wanted her to have a normal childhood. What a contradiction of terms, when, as a child, she could smell the iron scent of blood drape over him like a cloak as he told her princess stories, his hands stained with ichor and crystal dust.

But the Doctor was always honest, to the point of being abrasive, and she had to admire him for that. It was almost impossible for people not lie in front of her for something. Even Dark Ace had lied.

She ran a fingertip across her breastbone, feeling the three divots of where the needles would enter body when she replaced the collar.

She had lied when she said it didn't hurt. She tried to think it didn't, but it most certainly did. Apparently, even Cyclonis lied to herself.

And she would be lying to herself if she said she couldn't still feel the feather touch that damn Sky Knight had left the other night.

~ **Something to Prove** ~

"Have you been getting enough sleep, Master Cyclonis?"

_Why does everyone keep asking that?_

She whirled around, but stopped short of a tirade. "Oh, Master Furor."

He inclined his head in greeting. He walked over to work station, admiring her work – they were in the Council's crystal labs. "Progress I hope?"

"Not exactly," she admitted, "I'm having difficulties. It's as I originally thought – a crystal that's become stable won't be susceptible to taking the properties of another crystal. It's Rhea's Law. You have to combine them in order to change either of the crystals."

A look of disappointment fell on Furor's features. "Some laws are made to be broken, young lady. Perhaps this is too complex for you? Maybe you should hand over the reins to one of the other Masters."

_The ones that know their doing,_ Cyclonis's mind supplied. She hated failure.

"I can do it. I'm sure there's something else I can try. There has to be. I know unstable crystals work with this method. Maybe there's a way to stabilize them after they've changed properties. If there is, I'll find it." Cyclonis refused to have this taken away from her. She was going to figure this out. She was going to prove to them that she was just as good they were. Better even.

"I don't know..."

"I won't fail."

A smile graced Furor's lips, making his eyes crinkle. "Yes, I know you won't. But don't work yourself into exhaustion either."

"Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself."

"Yes, I've come to realize that. You're not the child that came to us all those years ago. You've become quite the young woman."


	30. Chapter 30

~ **Let's Talk About Me** ~

"This sucks man," a Talon complained to his fellow. It was raining, and all the two Talons had was a measly fire.

"I mean really, really, sucks," he complained again. His companion just sighed.

"How long have we been away from the fortress? It's been almost two months! Maybe more than that! And do we even know what we're looking for?"

The other Talon responded with, "A foot tall ferret looking thing with rabbit ears and blue fur. Long tail. Wears a Strom Hawks uniform. Probably intelligent."

"Okay, sure we have _that_. But how good is that description r_eally?"_

"How many animals do you know with blue fur?"

The complaining Talon hunkered down, hands on his knees. "You got a point there."

Silence stretched before the complaining Talon picked up his earlier rant. "I'll bet you she's forgotten about us."

"Who?"

"Cyclonis. I'll bet she's forgotten that she sent us out here. I bet if we went back right now she'd ask us where the hell we've been."

"Yeah," his companion answered, "Or she'll gut us on the spot for failing her. You heard her; we don't come back 'til we've got the rat."

"I thought you said it was a ferret?"

"She described it as a _ferret_ but she called it a _rat."_

"Now that's just confusing. Which is it? A rat or a ferret?"

"I _dunno_."

"You're my superior, aren't you? Aren't you supposed to know these things?"

"Hey, keep this up, and only one of us is going back to the fortress."

"What's that suppose to... oohhhhh, I get it."

"Do you ever shut up?"

~ **Mission** **Specialist Pt. 1** ~

Radarr missed the days that he just had to worry about overzealous chickens. Now his days were filled with worry.

When the trap had sprung (noxious gas and a weighted net) on that fateful rainy day, Radarr had managed to escape. They had made an error – the net was people sized, not Radarr sized. He had been able to slip out and sneak into the luggage compartment of one of the Talons' skimmers. It had been an agonizing decision; to leave and get help or to stay with him.

It had been a cramped and uncomfortable ride, and then something worse happened. When they finally stopped he couldn't get out! The compartment lid had become stuck! Dread had filled his chest as he heard the Talons walk away with Aerrow.

He had finally managed to get out, but he had to follow Aerrow's cold scent trail. He had only started to sneak into the inner sanctum of the fortress, more dread accumulating (oh, he had a very good idea where he was, he recognized the gothic _noir _decorating that witch was fond of using), when bad luck reared its ugly head. Again.

Talons, and lots of Talons. Just around the corner, and they were getting closer. He had to think fast - there weren't any hiding places in the bare hall. Except for a convenient open air vent.

He dashed in, without a moment to spare. Talons came around the corner, dozens of them. But it was okay, he just had to wait them out. Well, that had been the plan.

"You heard what Cyclonis said, check all the air vents in this hall. Make sure they're bolted securely. Then we'll move onto the next hall."

Radarr watched as he escape route got bolted shut. He was trapped.

* * *

_A/N: _I hope this answers your question about Radarr, Estranged Being (and notice how it says pt 1? Means there's more to come eventually :D ) And I'm excited for those of you who are drawing fanart - I'm as giddy as a kid on Christmas. (And also, there was a glaring error in the file when I first posted so if there's two emails in your guys's inboxes about ch 30 that would would be why).


	31. Chapter 31

~ **Do You Know the Time? **~

Aerrow wasn't sure what the time, let alone the day or month, was anymore. It was all a daze. He had lost track of it when he had been enslaved in the mines. Being stuck in a room with no windows (meaning no sunshine) didn't help the situation. The best he could guess was the Cyclonis must take her shifts in the evening, because she would be in the Council meetings for most of the day. But he didn't know when the meetings ended or how long Cyclonis took before taking her shift.

He didn't really care all that much, but sometimes when he was lying in bed with nothing to do but think, he couldn't help but worry. He wondered how long it really had been. Were the others okay, and what about Radarr? Radarr had been with him, hadn't he? He thought about how much longer it was going to be before he was released. Was he even going to be released, or had Cyclonis been lying?

It got the point where he confided in the Doctor his fears.

"You worry too much."

Aerrow had argued that he worried just enough. The Doctor had chuckled at that.

"Want my advice? Relax. Think of this as a momentary vacation. Before you know it, you'll be back out there with fate steering you in directions you don't want to go. I'm sure there are other thoughts in your head, why not think about them instead?"

And to be sure, there were other thoughts lurking in the Sky Knight's head but he didn't really want to start thinking about them. But like any thought that is avoided, it's always brought to the forefront of the mind.

~ **Something for Something** ~

"We've known each other for what, six... seven years?"

Cyclonis raised an eyebrow. "Your point?" she asked, picking up and discarding a card. They were playing Rummy for a change.

Aerrow shrugged, wondering if he should just drop the subject. "Well, we've known each other for so long, but what do we _really _know about each other?"

Cyclonis focused her attention on her cards. "I don't know how it works in other circles, but typically enemies don't try and get to know each other's favourite colour. It'd be a little dazing, don't you think?"

Aerrow furrowed his brow, "That didn't stop you from getting close to Piper."

"That was different," she stated in clipped tones.

The red head didn't take the hint. "Why?"

Cyclonis glared under her bangs, something dark starting to shine there. "Because I was trying to convert her, obviously."

A curious expression replaced Aerrow's confusion. "So you're saying you're not going to even _try_ to convert me?" he teased.

She scoffed. "I know enough, Sky Knight, to know you're bloody well incorruptible. Have you ever even had one sinful thought in your whole life? Done anything you shouldn't have? Are you even _capable _of anything devious?"

She had expected a quick _no,_ not the slow, cautious, whisper-soft _yes._ Or the downcast eyes, or the flush in his cheeks.

This caught her attention. "Like what?" she asked quietly trying to coax him.

"If I tell you, then you have to tell me something," Aerrow demanded.

Cyclonis frowned, "Like what?"

Aerrow thought for a moment before speaking, "Your happiest memory as a child."

"What is this quid pro quo?"

At Aerrow's blank expression Cyclonis elaborated, "A favour for a favour?"

"Something like that, yeah."

Cyclonis sneered dismissively, "Not interested."

She liked her secrets as they were; secrets.

~ **Pandora's Box** ~

Her father had said she had always been too curious for her own good. Her grandmother praised her for inquisitiveness, claiming it would make her a great crystal mage and a great Empress. It seemed both of them were accurate.

"Both my grandmother and my father used to read me bedtime stories. Completely different kinds of stories, but still, they used to take turns reading me to sleep," she blurted while they played Rummy (again) two days later.

"Pardon?" Aerrow asked, a little dazed. Cyclonis's statement has come out of the blue.

Her amethyst eyes hardened, "You asked for my happiest childhood memory, remember? Now I believe you owe me."

For a precious, shining moment, Cyclonis wondered if she had been duped. It would have been the first time in a long time if she had been tricked. She didn't like the feeling much, especially since the moment seemed to drag on. She was ready to snap at him, feeling foolish at herself, when he finally spoke.

"Finn and I were horsing around when we were little. At the orphanage there was this huge tree. Finn, being the boaster that he is, said he could easily climb to the top. And I told him that he couldn't, and we got into this huge argument about it, and we called each other some nasty names. I can't remember what now, except that is was mean. To prove me wrong he started climbing the damn tree. I knew it was dangerous, and we weren't allowed, but I didn't stop him. I was so mad at him. And I kind of hoped that he fell, so I would be right."

The room had gone silent. "What happened?" she coaxed.

"He fell and broke him arm," Aerrow admitted, the guilt weighing heavily on him.

~ **Preferences** ~

"Any pets?"

"No, my grandmother didn't want me distracted as a child. "

"You'd think they would want you to learn some responsibility, being the future Master and all."

"As dazing as my grandmother's mind could be, I don' think she had any concerns about my lack of responsibility."

"How so?"

"I've dealing with crystals, some of them highly dangerous, since I was seven."

"Wait, since _when_?"

"I think it's my turn Sky Knight, so shush. Let's see... favourite book?"

"I don't really have a favourite book. I like the old myths, though."

"Pfft, you're probably fond of those insipid tales from the Heroic Age no doubt? Like Hercules?"

"Those stories are okay, but I like the older ones, with the gods and goddesses."

"The ones with Zeus and his brethren?"

"Yeah, those."

"You like stories that have a god who has sex with women as a swan and as a bull?"

"What? No! I actually like the story of Hades and Persephone."

"So we've gone from stories about sex to kidnap?"

"No! It's not about that, I mean it does have t_hat_ but it does, and, and... it's about how sad it is. Hades falls in love with her, but he doesn't really know how to go about it. It's really one big mess after another, from taking Persephone, and even having to give her back even though Zeus said it was okay."

"No need to get your feathers ruffled Storm Hawk. So you like drama do you?"

"No, but I can relate."

"You kidnap girls?"

"God, no! I just meant that I can understand why Hades did it, sort of."

"_Really_."

"What's _your _favourite book then?"

"Not a book, a poem. _The Tiger_ by William Blake."

"Why?"

"I guess it I can relate to it, in a way."

* * *

_A/N:_ I meant to post this chapter for the last day for last month's prompt, but yeah. Had it written, just didn't have enough time to post. Silly me. Work was killer this week, sucking me dry. I was also wanted to finish another chapter of another fanfic - The Courtesan's Fan - which you can find on my profile. The second chapter of that will be up soon, if anyone cares. Anywaaaaays... new prompts this month! I'm looking forward to the bonus prompt for this month (those of you who are on fanfic_bakeoff know what it is).

I know some of you may ask (but then again, perhaps not): why the reference to "modern"/western literature? I'm taking a note out of **Keeper of Tomes** book; she uses some powerful imagery in her fanfics that's strengthened by the use of references to Western literature. Really, I think her fics are better for it; it gives the reader something solid to relate to in an imaginary world like Atmos. Also I'm a huge fan of mythology, and William Blake. I won't explain here why I used the references I did (take too long), I want you all to try and think about it for yourselves, though I'm sure I'll answer if you ask in a review or PM.

Hopefully there shouldn't be such a long wait for the next installment of Power Play. 'Til the next update my dears!


	32. Chapter 32

~ **Conspiracy** ~

Cyclonis was stretched out on her stomach, book in front of her, facing the foot of the bed. Aerrow was sitting cross-legged near the head of the bed, a plate balanced off his lap. It was some kind of noodles with vegetables that he was resolutely poking at.

She turned a page in her book. "Finish your dinner."

Her eyes were to the page, but she knew that he was making a face.

"I hate mushrooms," he mumbled.

She rolled her eyes. _I was _sure _I had told the damn Doctor about leaving out those things. _

"I know," she muttered. She sat up, resting on her knees. She extended her hand out. "Give it here. I'll finish it."

This time she saw the face he made – something of the dazed variety.

"I like mushrooms, you don't. Now give it."

Aerrow still seemed cautious.

She rolled her eyes. "I refuse to waste food. Either I eat it or you do. Now decide."

The decision had been easy enough, and now she munched away on the Knight's mushrooms. She made sure to give him her green peppers from her salad from earlier.

_I seriously don't understand why the Doctor is messing up these dinner orders. He knows how much I dislike peppers,_ Cyclonis thought as she listened to Aerrow happily crunch her leftovers.

_If I didn't know better I would think he was doing it on purpose._

* * *

_A/N:_ Thank you all for your patience. Work has been brutal. But don't worry, I'm still chipping away at the plot. (And it's lovely to hear from you again Emma).


	33. Chapter 33

~ **Point of View** ~

_It should be illegal to be this sore._ Aerrow was stretched out on the bed, his muscles aching. They had finally moved from weights to walking; Aerrow was glad the Doctor had insisted on starting with the light weights. He had never realized how much work his muscles did in order to keep him balanced. He had felt his calves twitching as he soon as he started to walk. He probably would have fallen on his face if they hadn't taken it step by step, like the Doctor had vehemently insisted upon.

Now he was exhausted, the muscle ache leaving him in a bit of a strung out daze. He felt bad for napping, but Cyclonis was keeping herself occupied. She had brought several heavy tomes with her and seemed to be making notes. Her pen was making rhythmic scratching noises.

_Bookworm,_ he thought with a smile. She'd kill him if she knew what he was thinking. It wasn't his fault that he found it cute how focused she was. She redefined the meaning of 'intense.' And she was so expressive when she thought no one was looking, or was too distracted to remember he was there. He could tell when she was really frustrated because she'd pout. Just a _tiny_ bit. But it was still there. It was so _human_, and... he wanted to use the word charming.

_Yep, she'd definitely kill me if she knew what I was thinking._


	34. Chapter 34

~ **Brush** ~

It was an accident.

Sort of.

He had just forgotten where he was; who he was with. It had been innocent, but he knew how _touchy_ she was about, well, touching. And now he waited with bated breath, waiting for hell to be raised.

They had taken up their usual positions, him at the head of the bed on his side, and her sprawled near foot of the bed on her side. Any chance she got she seemed to stretch out like a cat when she was reading. Casual conversation was tossed back and forth while they both read (she had dug out some books she thought he might like, and surprisingly he did). It was the typical friendly banter they had taken up. She had said something teasing; she used some fancy words that essentially boiled down calling him an idiot. So he had hit her.

Actually, no, it was more a nudge than a hit. Just a friendly bump of his foot against her hip. That had been one second ago. He was still waiting for the imminent doom of Cyclonis's wrath to fall upon him.

Another couple seconds passed and Cyclonis snorted derisively, her attention on her book. He jumped when her foot lightly smacked into his shoulder.

Thirty seconds passed and Aerrow finally let out the breath he was holding. He sat in stunned silence, his thoughts derailed.

"Something the matter, Sky Knight?"

Aerrow startled out of his blank thoughts, noticing that a Cyclonis was pinning him with a curious look.

"Yeah, why?" he said trying to be calm.

"Because you're being weird, I'm mean, more than usual."

"Ha ha, aren't you funny?" Aerrow teased.

Without missing a beat, Cyclonis responded, "Ha ha, you're not funny."

* * *

_A/N: _Oh Cyclonis, what will we do with you? _*sigh*_

To **Emma** - yes the other Storm Hawks will make a return (and so will Radarr, and, sadly, Shrike and the rest of the Council). It's gonna happen sooner rather than later, and that's the best hint I'm gonna give.


	35. Chapter 35

~ **Strange** **Threads** ~

She wasn't sure how they had gotten so off topic. She has just dropped by the Doctor's office to give him a lecture (as in, a threat) about messing around with the dinners he made up for her and Aerrow. Honestly, enough was enough, and if she got one more green pepper heads were going to roll.

Instead, the Doctor had artfully sidestepped her questions and led her in dazing conversational circles.

_He belongs on the Council, _she thought ruefully, completely forgetting her earlier tangent, and just wanting the conversation to make sense.

"Okay run by this me one more time, _what_ do you want me to do?" Cyclonis refrained from rubbing her temples at the impending headache.

The Doctor quirked one of his thick eyebrows at her. "Massage therapy? It'll greatly help our patient's treatment?"

"And that would require _what_ exactly?"

Another eyebrow quirk marked the Doctor's answer. "Um, massage? Just his legs, specifically his calves and his feet, to help alleviate the pain."

Cyclonis gave the Doctor a blank stare that he misinterpreted. "You do know how to give a proper massage, right, Master Cyclonis?"

Her eyebrows almost reached her hairline at his gall. She was pretty sure there was a rose colour blooming in her pale cheeks.

"Of course I do," she retorted coldly.

"Lovely, then I would greatly appreciate your help. You will help, won't you, Master Cyclonis?"

Her breath hitched with _something_ but before she had a chance to analyze it the Doctor twirled the conversation into another direction.

"Have you decided what you'll be doing for the Festival of Vesper?"

The festival was still long enough away, but soon she would have to make arrangements, and face obligations. It meant a dazing combination of politics and religion.

"Not yet."

~ **Prehistoric** **Dance** ~

The longest night and the shortest day; it was said that the ghosts could walk on the Winter Solstice. Her grandmother had always held it in special reverence, and Cyclonis had never really understood why.

Not until, she had arrived on the Far Side. It was one of their oldest traditions. The Festival of Vesper was meant to honour the dead, and it was an opportunity for the Council to harvest power. What that power was, she wasn't quite sure, but she knew that it could be captured in crystals and stored. Sometimes the most powerful of experiments would be put on hold just for that night, when the potency of crystals would be at their richest.

It was a bunch of religious rites and ceremony.

Cyclonis found it annoying.

Growing up, her grandmother had excluded her from the activities because of her youth. Her father had been a military man, and therefore his religious practices were of a more Spartan nature – lighting incense on the Solstice was all that was necessary.

On Atmos it had never mattered, on the Far Side, however, her ignorance and lack of interest was disapproved of.

It just made her hate the whole thing all the more.

Because of her status as a Master she had only two choices. She could attend the lengthy ceremonies with the rest of the Council; days spent on her feet performing rituals and smelling the dazingly sweet smoke of myrrh. The Doctor also had his own rites he had to perform, meaning that Aerrow would be without a watcher for easily a week.

Or she could attend the family plots. Several days spent with just the red head for company. She seriously wondered which experience would be less painful to endure.

* * *

_A/N:_ Someone asked how long Aerrow's been 'missing,' though I can't remember who. Well, Aerrow was in the mines for roughly four or five weeks, and Cyclonis took him home about a week after that. He was comatose for another two or so weeks after that. Aerrow's recovery has been slow, so it's been at least another four or five weeks by this point (possibily even six). So Aerrow's been separated from the Storm Hawks for roughly three months, or two and a half. Also, the Storm Hawks have been missing almost a month now. Another way to look at it: it's was late fall when Aerrow was captured, and it was the beginning of winter when the Storm Hawks got shot down by Circini, and now the heart of winter is really only a few months away. I hope this makes sense and is also logical; point is, it feels like forever for Aerrow, especially since he doesn't really know how long it's been (hence his worry a few chapters back)


	36. Chapter 36

~ **Romeo and Juliet** ~

"Your grandmother was the previous Master Cyclonis, but was it your mom or you dad that was her kid?"

"Why the curiosity, Sky Knight?"

"It's always something that I've wondered about."

"It was my mother. My father was just a talented military officer."

"Really?"

"Why the surprise, Aerrow?"

"I just get the impression that most Masters disliked anyone outside of their blue-blood little circle."

"They do. My father was the youngest son of one of the lesser Houses. He was trained to use crystals but he didn't have the talent. The military was the only place to go."

"Oh. Match made in heaven, then?"

"Maybe, I don't know. I just know my grandmother didn't _approve _of my father, exactly."

"And why was that?"

"She had hoped my mother would marry better; a prestigious Master or a first son of one of the older houses."

"That had to suck for your dad."

"No, not really. My grandmother understood the practicality of having someone trained in the military around. My grandmother may not have liked my father, but she gave him some respect."

"Practicality?"

"My grandmother was, if anything, practical. If it didn't have any benefits, then it was not worth doing or keeping."

"I'm kind of glad I've never had to meet your grandmother, she sounds awfully scary."

"An accurate description, albeit dazingly simple."

"You think she would have approved of this?"

"What do you mean?"

"This. You know the whole taking care of me thing?"

"She would've listened to the Council, but she probably would have tossed you as soon as you were conscious."

"And your dad?"

"He would have thought it a mercy to kill you."

"Woah, and what about your mom?"

"I wouldn't know. She died when I was young."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. What's done is done."

~ **Seeds** ~

"Marvellous work," Furor commented as his long fingers examined the dark crystal. Weak, pale pulsations of light cast shadows on the older man's face.

Cyclonis tried to keep the corners of her mouth from quirking into anything more than a smirk. "Thank you."

It was hard to not be pleased with herself! She had finally made some progress on that property transfer experiment. It was a precious balance of the crystal being between the stasis of instable and stable. She had successfully had a leecher crystal take on the abilities of an ice crystal, finally.

The crystal in Furor's hand suddenly flared before going black, dull like carbon. She knew if it was dropped it would shatter.

"Hm... the effects only last for a minute?" Furor asked.

Cyclonsis conceded, "Yes, but I'm working on lengthening the time before it degrades."

Furor nodded, looking like he was contemplating a difficult equation. "Yes, I would like to see how far you could push the limitations."

Cyclonis nodded her head; of course she was going to push it, as much as she could.

"I'm curious, why a leecher?"

"Because there's a certain level of instability already in leechers because they absorb energy."

Furor made an _ah_ noise as he settled the crystal onto the table.

"You are honestly your grandmother's child. You have her intelligence and talent. It's dazing how the prowess in crystal magery seemed to skip generations."

"Skipped?" Cyclonsis questioned.

"Yes, it came naturally to your grandmother, as it does for you, but your mother struggled with it. I think it was because she was so sickly, she probably didn't have the health for something as vigorous as this."

"You knew my mother?"

"Of course, like I've said before, I knew your grandmother quite well; you're whole family, actually."

~ **Past** **Tense** ~

"I think you owe me." Cyclonis announced.

Aerrow wore a dazed expression. "I do?"

"Yes, _so_... what was your mother like?" She asked, trying not to let her interest show. Mothers were an unknown thing to her; something that had been unspeakable in her childhood under the heel of her father and grandmother.

Aerrow's expression grew thoughtful. "She died when I was still young, but I remember some things about her. Like how she smelled like home. She was pretty, I guess. She had really long hair, and when I was really little I used to play with it. I was fascinated by it as a kid."

Aerrow was a tactile person, so his memories were scattered. He could remember how he fit onto his mother's hip, with her warm arm encircled around him. Or how safe he felt when she crushed him into a hug. He remembered feeling the calluses on her hands when her fingers brushed his hair out of his eyes or wiped his tears. It was a series of _impressions_ and he wasn't sure if he was doing his mom justice describing from those sorts of memories.

It seemed to be enough, though.

"She seemed like a really nice person," Cyclonis admitted, feeling the pang of longing. "What happened to her?"

"She was never right after my dad died. She smiled less, and she was always so sad. One night she went to bed, and she didn't wake up. They _said_ it was an aneurism, but... I dunno. I think she just gave up."

Unwanted and unwarranted guilt grew in Cyclonis's chest like an infection. _It's not my fault._

Unbidden and heavy on her tongue, the words escaped.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, what's done is done, right?"

And that fact made Cyclonis feel even worse somehow.

* * *

_A/N:_ Hello my dears. I'm just here to give you all a head's up; I have to deal with some RealLife issues and I'll likely be without a computer for two weeks. So I won't likely be able to make an update until early September. Thought I'd let you guys know, so you don't think I've abandoned you when there's no updates for a while. Just be glad I'm not leaving you with a cliffhanger I suppose, hahaha.


	37. Chapter 37

**~ Undercurrents ~**

Cyclonis sipped her tea, blowing on it before every cautious sip. She was sitting in Furor's office by invitation. The older man had offered tea as refreshment during a Council recess. She wasn't really one to say no to tea. Especially since it was Furor offering, he was a much better conversationalist than Aerrow. Furor understood crystal equations and their intricacies. Aerrow had difficulty with checkers stratagem.

How she had lost to the Storm Hawks so many times she still didn't understand.

The conversation was inconsequential; not even politically based. It was nice not to have to over analyze everything she said.

"So have you decided what you're doing for Vesper?" Furor asked politely, sipping at his own cup of tea.

She shrugged, "I think I'll look after the family plots this year. They need tending." _And give the Sky Knight some fresh air._

Furor blinked owlishly, "Oh. I didn't expect that."

"Why so surprised?" she asked.

"Well, I had thought you were going to attend the Council ceremonies. You've attended each one for the past several years."

Cyclonis shrugged. "You're attending the ceremonies then?"

"No, there's something of a personal matter I need to attend to. Tempest and the other have already been informed."

This was an interesting development. Furor might be of a minor house, considered by most as a harmless historian, but he was one of the most knowledgeable. She would have thought Tempest would be more concerned about losing that during some of the more delicate parts of the ceremonies.

"I do believe Master Typhon is taking my usual position, if I remember correctly."

_Ah, political motivation._ Typhon was constantly riding Tempest's shirttails.

"I'm sure you'll be missed," she provided.

With a hint of bitterness Furor replied, "I'm sure you're right."

* * *

_A/N: _Guess who's back XD


	38. Chapter 38

~ **Preparations** ~

The Doctor's mouth was moving, but Cyclonis didn't care enough to bother listening. She got the gist that the man was yapping about how to look after the Sky Knight. Seriously, she didn't need a lecture on babysitting. She was used to being his keeper by this point.

"Did you get all that?" he asked.

"Yes, of course." She tried not to roll her eyes.

"I hope so, because it's very important that Aerrow doesn't overexert himself and that he eats properly and-"

Cyclonis flung her hand up in impatience. "Yes, I got it the first time. Just make sure he's ready to leave when I get here."

"You're still planning on leaving a few days early before the festival starts then? Very early in the morning?"

The empress raised an eyebrow. "Is that a problem?"

"I don't, but Aerrow might. He's been spoiled by your company. You've messed up his sleeping schedule, he stays up late and sleeps all day. It's rather unsurprising."

Cyclonis glared, she didn't like the teasing tone that the Doctor had taken. "I'm sure he'll survive."

She turned away to leave, her heavy cloaking swishing as she went. "Just make sure he's ready," she snapped.

* * *

_A/N:_ CRAP! I didn't mean to make you guys wait so long for the latest chapter! Real Life kinda of surprised me; I thought it was done with me but apparently not. Gotta love school, and moving into a new apartment. Gaah.


	39. Chapter 39

~** Owed** ~

Morning light was breaking over the horizon. It was the first sunrise she had seen ages. Surprisingly enough her nights were late enough that she was still awake when the sun rose, but she rarely had the leisure to. Not that she was used to that kind of leisure. There was a good reason for her ivory skin.

The airship jostled with turbulence and Cyclonis felt a familiar weight bump against her shoulder. The damn Sky Knight had fallen asleep fairly early into their journey.

As much as she hated to admit it (and she never would aloud) the Doctor had been right; the early morning wasn't agreeing with Aerrow. Not only had he fallen asleep, he had decided her shoulder was a very comfortable place to sleep.

It was annoying. His hair had tickled her neck; she had transformed her mane into a cowl to avoid it. The scent of clean soap clung to him, and the smell was doing strange things to her stomach.

She was half tempted to dump him on the floor – she wasn't a damn pillow – but she had decided against it. His soft breathing was soothing, and she needed that a little bit. It had been a hectic morning. She had stayed late at the Council Hall, and then had to sneak that Sky Knight onto her personal carrier without revealing to him that she _was_ sneaking him on. She had succeeded, after much argument, to get him to wear a cloak and put the hood up under the excuse that he would catch cold otherwise.

To say the least, it had been stressful.

_I think I'm owed this._ She thought as Aerrow's breath tickled at the sentient feathers of her cowl. _Besides, what's the harm?_


	40. Chapter 40

~ **Sharing** ~

"There's only one bed."

"Your point?"

"Don't you think that's kinda improper?"

"Oh _now_ that famous Sky Knight Chivalry emerges; hate to break it to your conscious but we've happened to slept in the same bed more than once."

"I don't need your sarcasm, Cyclonis. And wait, you've actually fallen asleep? Really?"

"As surprising as this may be to you, Aerrow, but even I need to catch a catnap once and a while. Does this help you with that pesky morality of yours?"

"Not really. Why can't I sleep in one of the other rooms?"

"Because, like I said before, the other rooms are in poor shape; you're likely to fall through the bed frame."

"Why didn't you take better care of this place? Where were you planning to put the servants when you came here?"

"I have my reasons. Besides, I didn't bring servants – it'll just be you and me to look after the plots. So no one will know about your _sins_, Sky Knight."

"I could sleep on the floor."

"If you do, you're doing so without blankets. I refuse to put clean blankets on this filthy floor."

"Oh come on!"

"Oh, quit your whining, Aerrow. I promise, I don't snore."

* * *

_A/N:_ Hey guys! Sorry for the wait! I've got a little bit of an announcement. As many of you know, school is back in full swing now. And anyone who's looked at my profile knows that I'm attending an animation program. What does this mean to you guys? I'm going to be very busy with school. And I do mean very busy. That means I sadly won't be able to keep up my amazing summer update schedule that you all loved so much. I'm still going to try and update frequently; I'd like to update once-weekly, but it might be closer to an update every two weeks. If this changes, for better or for worse, I'll let you guys know.

I'd like to also to take this opportunity to thank every single one of you that has read this fic, and another special thanks to everyone who has kindly left a review. Those reviews can really perk up my day sometimes. Until the next update my dears!


	41. Chapter 41

~ **Everything Fades** ~

There was a reason why she had been away from the plots for so long. She had always found that small, hidden away corner of the world extremely bleak. Headstones were a mix of neat rows and haphazard placements. It was full of history. All of the Cyclonis family was buried here. Even her parents and her grandmother had headstones despite the fact that there were no bodies underneath them.

She supposed other people would have felt pride, but she felt nothing. There was no connection. She could see the names on the stones, but they meant nothing. She didn't know who they were, just that they were her ancestors.

But maybe the reason she really hated the place was because she could see the end and it was terrifying. Would they shove her into the ground and that would be it? Would her children bother visiting? Would she even have children?

She was the last of the Cyclonis House; she imagined the thought of children wasn't that surprising. She thought it would be another thing she would have to bear, like the obnoxious council. It was just something to put up with.

_I'm far too young to having these kinds of thoughts, _she mused.

But being surrounded by death, she couldn't help but think about her own demise.

~ **Walking With A Ghost** ~

Aerrow hadn't been to many graveyards. His dad didn't have a grave, and his mom's grave was in a tiny little plot on a faraway terra that he had visited only occasionally. He had never been to one like this.

For one thing it was massive, and there just so _many _headstones_._ And they were all different. He could tell which owner of the graves had been Masters because they had the most gloriously carved ones.

It was almost beautiful, in a desolate way. There were gnarled trees with their leaves stripped away, the last vestiges of colourful weeds dying at the ever closer breath of true winter. Apparently the snows were late this year and it had been an overly warm fall.

But the greatest thing was that he was _outside_. He would have run and jumped and enjoyed the healthy thrum of his heart beating but his legs were still too weak. There was also something about the place that demanded respect. As if the old bones of Masters past would rise up if he stepped wrong.

So he did the next best thing; he worked his hardest on clearing away the fallen leaves and tidying the plots. He was pretty sure it was disrespectful that he was so happy to be working in a graveyard.

He wondered if he should feel guilty but then he'd catch Cyclonis out of the corner of his eye and then a surprised rush of feelings would clear away the guilt. She looked so ethereal in the weak light; her dark clothes making her seem all the more pale. With her thin, almost wraith-like body she looked like a ghost. The only life was those bright amethyst eyes of hers.

He was pretty sure those thoughts were disrespectful in a graveyard too.


	42. Chapter 42

~ **Old Habits Die Hard** ~

Despite the new setting, some things remained.

"Favourite dessert?"

"Chocolate pudding. Yours?"

"Pie."

Cyclonis couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Pie, _just_ pie?"

Aerrow shrugged. "Strawberry in particular, but yeah, I like pie."

Cyclonis leaned back on her elbows, an appraising look on her face.

The Sky Knight met her look with one of his own. "What?"

A smile quirked at the corners of her lips. "We're talking about _pie. _Is that seriously all you have to talk about? Is there nothing deeper in that Storm Hawks' mind of yours?"

Her tone was sarcastic, but Aerrow knew it was all bluster and show; there was no real bite to it.

"Would you rather talk about something else?"

"Yes, if that isn't too extremely difficult for you."

A perplexed and cautious expression shuttered in Aerrow's eyes.

"Well there has been something I've been curious about..."

Cyclonis gestured with a hand for him to continue.

"Uh... what's your name?"

The dark empress gave him a sharp _are-you-stupid_ look. "It's Master Cyclonis, or have you forgotten?"

"Cyclonis is a family name; I know that much."

"No, it's not," Cyclonis argued. "The name Master Cyclonis is passed down through generations. I _earned_ it."

"But you must have had a name before that one was given to you," was the counter argument.

The innocent conversation had gotten heated very quickly.

"I did, but that doesn't matter. Not now."

"But-"

"Drop it, Sky Knight," Cyclonis demanded, a defensive edge in her tone, "Why do you care anyways?"

Aerrow shrugged, chastised, unable to say what he wanted to.

_Because the Cyclonis I knew doesn't work with the you I now know._


	43. Chapter 43

~ **Not So Cold** ~

Despite the fact that she rarely saw daylight, it was still depressing for it to be so dark so early in the evenings. Especially after such miserable work.

Winter was finally biting, and it was _cold. _An ache in the bones, flesh numb, sort of cold. She was freezing half the time, but the Sky Knight didn't seem fazed by it with his neutral woollen clothes.

_But he's a Sky Knight – he'd be used to the cold upper reaches of the sky._

It was only when the day was done that exhaustion finally showed in Aerrow.

Case in point: he had removed his heavy sweater, and had promptly collapsed next to her. The line of his body was flush against her hip and leg. She was also pretty sure he was asleep, or almost damn near.

She wasn't sure she really appreciated this violation of space.

"Aerrow?"

She kneaded his calf, feeling the muscles tight under her hand, trying to wake him.

He stretched, curling into her before he mumbled, "That feels nice."

Not the reaction she had expected.

~ **Fly Away Home** ~

It felt like home, for some strange reason. It had been a while since he had felt that sort of contentment.

The _Condor _had seemed to get smaller over the years. There was always something to do, but it was all going nowhere. The Storm Hawks were fighting a losing battle and it was going to change nothing in the tyrannical rule of the Council.

All the expectations had been raised up; to fight the bad guys, win the day, for him to be a great leader, a friend, brother, tactician, general. And there had always been the strange moments with Piper, where he could tell she wanted _something_ (maybe everything) but she wouldn't ask what for it, and he didn't know what he was supposed to do. Then there was Finn with his philandering, Stork and his paranoid cynicism.

He hadn't realized how much they were fracturing until he could look at it from a distance.

He couldn't remember the last moment where no one was demanding his attention; where he could rest, be human.

His nose pressed to Cyclonis's hipbone, smelling crystal dust and something more delicate – _feminine -_ and feeling the cool, soft brush of her knuckles on his calf... He was positive he was dreaming. He doubted she'd give him a massage, if the cautious, kneading and brushing of her knuckles on his muscles even counted.

It was teasing was what was. His muscles ached for her long fingers to press down hard, to feel the scrape of her nails.

It was haze of need and of a sharp yearning that left him swimming in semi-consciousness. He was torn between hating and loving it. And somehow he still managed to fall asleep.


	44. Chapter 44

~ **It Was a Cold Winter's Night** ~

She could just feel it in the air; it was some steady thrum of power and it called out to her. It was some strange sensation in her chest. Some darker, primordial part of her knew something was going to happen.

That's why she was standing outside, alone in the extreme dark of night. A thick cloak was wrapped around her thin frame. She mentally reviewed the rituals, trying to figure out what would be happening...

_It's the night of the rituals of Adad. _

Those were the most powerful and old of the rituals; she remembered the power crackling over her skin as she had chanted in time with the rest of the Masters.

The faint reminder of that made her wonder if going out to the middle of nowhere had been a good idea. What was she really gaining when all was said and done?

"You're still awake?"

Cyclonis twisted her head so she could see Aerrow.

She shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."

"So you stand outside?" The Sky Knight gave her an incredulous look before he reached out; his fingertips grazed the curve of her cheek. "You're freezing!"

She tried to protest, but Aerrow wrapped his arms around her regardless. With her back pressed against his warm chest she was aware of the shivers that were wracking her body and how painfully numb her skin was to heat.

"Better?"

She made a noise in the back of her throat. Somewhere between a yes and a no. There was a strange feeling – it was a tingling in her skin, and almost a feeling of vertigo in her chest. She had to close eyes at it.

"Hey, what's that?"

Her eyelids fluttered opened. In the distance a light was brightening the horizon hours before morning light.

"I don't know."


	45. Chapter 45

~ **Spin Me Right 'Round** ~

There wasn't much she could do. She didn't have her library at her disposal; detailed research was impossible. All she could do was wait. That was something she could do – she had years of practice after all.

At least the Sky Knight was being a good distraction

"Are you serious? You're going to sit there and tell me you're not even a little bit ticklish?"

She raised an eyebrow at his enthused response. "Not in the slightest."

A smile was teasing the corners of the Sky Knight's mouth. "I don't believe that." There was a challenge in his eyes and his voice.

Cyclonis forced herself to lie still in defiance; the redhead was looming over her. She felt comfortable in their positions and their understandings of the so-called relationship. _He wouldn't dare._

Then she felt the first brushes of fingertips on her ribs.

Her entire body stiffened, and her hands latched onto his wrists. She could someone's pulse hammering under her grip; his or hers, she wasn't sure.

"Don't."

The smile disappeared, but the light was still shining in his eyes. "Or what?" he whispered.

"I'll send you flying," she whispered back.

He was extremely close now; she could feel his breath brushing her face. "I don't think you would."

"I think you would have by now if you were going to," he continued, practically nosing her cheek. The smile was tugging at the corners of his mouth again.

Her breath was caught in throat. She waited with a mix of dread and anticipation, her heart fluttering against her breastbone.

It was feather light, his lips brushing against hers and it left her with a sweet but painful ache in her belly.

And all collective thought rushed out of her head.

* * *

_A/N: _The chapter you've all been waiting for I bet.


	46. Chapter 46

~ **Different** ~

Delicate was one word she would use. Vanilla might be another. One thing she knew was that it was very different than any other kiss she had received. She had had a few in her time; limited but still, a few. Mostly from soldiers under her command that sparked her interest, and the kisses had been merely a precursor for something else.

_This_ made her feel something; feelings that she hadn't felt since she was fourteen, for a man that wouldn't reciprocate. For all Dark Ace's deviances, he still felt it morally wrong to get involved with someone so much younger than him. Didn't matter that she was mature beyond her years - felt older than fourteen. It was all in the details.

Well, vengeance was hers now. She was sure the old bastard was rolling in his grave at the fact his Empress was being kissed by his nemesis. And thoroughly enjoying it.

It took her a few seconds to realize that Aerrow had backed away and was saying something.

"Pardon?"

There was a wince of what looked like regret on his face. "I said, I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that."

The world started to spin, and not the good way like it just had two minutes ago.

"If you'll excuse me." So polite. She wondered where her rage was; there should have been blood and lightening by now. No one made a fool of her like that and survived; the justifiable rage wasn't stirring though. She just felt, empty.

She heard the Sky Knight tripping over apologies, but she didn't hear them over the roaring in her ears.

She was outside before she knew it, the cold biting at her skin, feeling numb inside and out. She was stilling waiting for the rage several hours later.

* * *

_A/N: _Not quite what you were all hoping for, I know. But if there's one thing I like to write and it's tension. Also sorry for the lateness. School has been difficult and real life decided to fuck with me. Still kinda of spinning from it. But don't worry. You guys haven't been forgotten. Hopefully there should be a more fulfilling chapter shortly. There should be also craploads of updates when Christmas holidays finally roll around.


	47. Chapter 47

~ **Invitation** ~

It was suffice to say the last few days at the family plots were miserable. She avoided Aerrow during the day, and at night either went to bed long after he had gone to sleep or didn't go to bed at all. The Sky Knight pretended not to notice, as if nothing had changed.

She wasn't sure if she was grateful or insulted. Another reason to avoid the bastard.

But she was home now. She could bury herself in the sanctuary of her books and detailed research. She was still immensely curious about the mysterious light that had occurred on the Night of Adad.

Of course none of the other Masters had seen it; they had been preoccupied with the rituals. Civilians had seen it though. It was being dismissed as a display of winter aurorae and that was that. Didn't matter that nothing like that had ever been seen before.

Her arguments were ignored by Tempest, and even Furor, her usual ally, had nothing in her defence. The only course of action was to increase military sweeps.

_Fools_.

"Still here, Master Cyclonis?"

She almost jumped at the sudden parental tones of Furor. "Uh, yes. I am."

The older gentleman shook his head. "It's late. Have you eaten something?"

"I've been a little... distracted."

"Hm, as I can see," Furor murmured, his fingers traversing over the opened books. "Still curious about that light in the sky? I hope you still have made some progress in your other research?"

Cyclonis felt a sliver of shame at the reprimand.

"I have, I just have time to spare."

"Understandable, but seeing as you have time, would you mind keeping an old Master company while he has his midnight tea? You're welcome to some, of course."

"Certainly."

~ **Epimetheus's Wife** ~

He didn't understand girls. They were way too complicated; saying thing they didn't mean.

Like Piper. He knew Piper was pretending to be happy when he said he loved her like a sister. Knew that she was lying when she said she fine with just being friends. He would have done anything to make Piper happy, even trying to see her in a different way. But she never asked, so he never tried.

Or the first girl he had slept with. She said it was fine that it would be months before they saw each other again and then she slapped him when he finally did. It was a few girls later and a few more slaps when he finally learned that no matter what a girl said, it was _not_ okay to lose touch with them.

Cyclonis was the same way. Her voice could be sharp and cold but her eyes would be teasing. Look so unapproachable but her lips seemed to be begging for a kiss. Or maybe he was crazy; maybe he was imagining all those details.

It wasn't fair, it was cruel actually. He felt all these t_hings_ and he didn't know what to do with them. He wanted things that made him blush, and then he had to sleep next the object of his affection. Spend a night dreaming about touching and tasting her and then wake up to see her looking at the world with her usual disdain. Even at him.

So he kissed her. It had been too much. Her skin was soft, she smelled divine. Her body under his had felt so vulnerable, but her eyes sparked with the heat of a challenge. So he caved and opened damn Pandora's box.

Except it seemed he didn't even get to keep hope.

~ **Broken Key** ~

She was late. It was becoming a habit. Not enough for the Doctor to comment, but it was becoming a trend for her.

Her home had become an uncomfortable place, with this yawning mouth of vacant silence between her and Aerrow. It put her on edge.

Besides, her time was being well spent. Furor and herself were drinking tea in what counted as her office – nothing more than a cubby in a wall. It was hers, though. It was clean and Spartan, just like how she liked it. Her research put away into shelves, and crystals on display.

Furor was currently admiring the Oracle Stone, the very same that was the key to the Farside. Now it was darkened, and a severe crack ran down its centre.

A well placed _Lightning Claw_ had put it there. With no key to unlock the gate, they were all trapped on the Farside. The egg had been on the Storm Hawks' faces the day that they had realized that detail. She would have enjoyed it more, if she wasn't also suffering from the consequences.

"An interesting item this. Shame about its state," Furor commented.

Cyclonis _hmmed_ in the back of her throat.

"Would you mind if I was to borrow it? The structure looks so interesting. I would love to study it."

Furor was such a typical scholar, yet he probably didn't recognize the crystal for what it was.

"You can keep it, actually. I don't know why I held onto it for so long."

It was the truth. It was just another reminder of another failure. She had tried fixing it, to no avail. It was next to useless. Besides it was dead, what worth would Furor receive from it?

The smile Furor gave her was soft and warm. "Thank you."

~**Apologies in Excess **~

"What did you do?"

Aerrow flinched. The Doctor never yelled; his voice was a steady monotone but there was a definite edge to the usual placating tone. The Doctor was _mad_.

"Uh, nothing?" Aerrow hated how his voice squeaked. It wasn't very convincing.

"I thought we already had discussion about you antagonizing Cyclonis. She's been off since you two came back from the plots."

The Sky Knight hunched his shoulders. _Damn it, why did I have to kiss her? _"I already apologized, so don't worry."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed behind his spectacles. "Apologized for what exactly?"

Aerrow couldn't help the blush that flushed his face. He mumbled something incoherent.

"Spit out the details, boy."

Aerrow just starred at the floor, "It was stupid okay? It was a heat of the moment thing and I crossed a line, and I already apologized for it. Sorry, but can we just leave it at that?"

The Doctor sighed. "Sometimes we apologize for the wrong things, Aerrow. Or when we don't need to at all. And you typically apologize more than you need to."

Aerrow bit his tongue from saying an automatic 'sorry.'

~ **Join Me For Dinner?** ~

Cyclonis jumped at sudden voice of Furor.

"Pardon?" she nearly sputtered. She was in her lab, at the Council Hall, avoiding the inevitable trip home. She hadn't expected Furor to still be lingering. He seemed to be at the Council Hall a lot more now that winter had set in. The archaeological digs would be slowed due to the hard, frozen ground.

"I was wondering if you would like to attend dinner with me."

Cyclonis suppressed a wince. It had been a while since Furor had last offered her dinner. She had hoped they had passed the point where he would try and set her up with his son.

"I-" she started.

"I only ask because Shrike is still away. I could use the company."

"Shrike is away?" She asked, surprised.

"Yes, he's with the search party on Circini."

Cyclonis pursed her lips in thought at that detail. She enjoyed Furor's company, and she would enjoy an excuse to avoid going home. The fact that Shrike would be completely absent made the idea worth entertaining.

"When?" Was her answer.

* * *

_A/N:_ This was written and edited in a rush, so forgive me for any errors that occurred. I do try. Also; Furor is a tricksome fellow isn't he?


	48. Chapter 48

~ **Flattery Will (Not) Get You Nowhere** ~

She had been only to Furor's home a handful of times, and those few times proper etiquette had been followed to the letter. Large and multiple courses. Sitting at the opposite end of a long table. One too many forks at the table setting. Servants waiting at beck and call.

This time, though, it was different. She wanted to use the word _intimate._ The meal was simpler, but still superior than the quick meals the Doctor provided. She was next to Furor's place at the head of the table. And they were alone.

It was thoroughly enjoyable. She wondered how a cultured and sophisticated man like Furor had raised a son to be so barbaric and crude.

"I hope everything is to your satisfaction?" Furor asked.

Cyclonis nodded, sipping at wine from her goblet.

"Everything has been lovely, thank you."

"Not as lovely your company, I assure you."

The compliment sent a little shiver of pleasure down her spine. It was nice to be appreciated; the Sky Knight's rejection still carried a sting. The compliment still flustered her, though.

She stood up, trying to hide her haste. "It's getting late, I probably should get going."

Furor rose with her, and captured her hand in his. His skin was paper thin and soft from age.

"I do hope we could repeat this, another time?"

Cyclonis felt a flip flop of her stomach, and her mouth was dry, the moment was building into something.

Furor pressed a kiss to the back of her fingers, his eyes staring into hers. "I would really enjoy getting to know you more; establishing an arrangement, perhaps?"

Gently, she said, "I need to think about it."

"Of course."

* * *

_A/N:_ I'm finished finals. Expect some heavy and hard hitting chapters shortly. They ought to be worth the wait. 'Til then my dears!


	49. Chapter 49

~ **Cakes and Compromises** ~

A book on crystal morphology was open on her lap, but she hadn't absorbed a word. Her head was too busy thinking. Not about her experiments, but about Furor. Specifically, about his tactful offer; he wanted her as his mistress.

Furor was old enough to be her father (possibly her grandfather) but such arrangements weren't uncommon; such trysts were usually between a Master and another Master's daughter, though discretion was always upheld. In any case, it strengthened political ties between political allies. And it would give her more clout in the Council Halls.

It also carried a small personal level of security. Mistresses were typically well looked after.

It was a really strong political move on her part if she was to accept it. She had to admit, though, that there were personal motives as well. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, there was a small kernel of loneliness that she couldn't get rid of, and it only seemed to grow as she aged.

The Sky Knight's kiss had made her realized how long it had been since her last roll in the hay. She had been focusing on her work, on politics, everything and anything. But it didn't change the fact that it had been ages since anyone had wanted her physically. And that pain was made all the more sharp from Aerrow's withdrawal from a kiss _he _instigated.

She was used to getting what she wanted; she could take from Aerrow what she needed, but some part of her knew that it would feel cheapened. She also knew accepting Furor's offer would be settling.

In the back of her mind, she could hear her grandmother chiding her about wanting to keep her cake and eat it, too.

~ **Chances Are** ~

Aerrow watched Cyclonis from the corner of his eye. Her hair was hanging like a curtain around her face, making the sombre expression she wore look more aggrieved. It sent little pangs of heart ache stabbing in his chest.

Her eyelashes were dark smudges on her cheeks, her amethyst eyes hooded. A book was open in her lap, but he could tell that she wasn't reading. In the soft crystal light, she looked so fragile and sad.

His concern had carried him off the bed and crouching in front of her before he realized it.

"Are you alright?"

Her eyes flickered to his before she shrugged as way of an answer. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He was spilling another apology from his lips. "You know I'm sorry about what happened, the other day?"

It was the damn look in her eyes. He wanted to see the haughty, confident pride in them, not the weariness that seemed to have settled there.

Cyclonis's eyes hardened. "You'll have to get more specific. You do lot of idiotic things that require an apology."

Aerrow licked his lips, noticing the way Cyclonis watched the nervous motion. "About kissing you."

The glare that she shot him was like ice in his bones. "I think you've apologized more than enough, so please quit moaning about it. It's not _my_ fault you had a lapse in judgement."

Aerrow could have sworn that he heard her voice crack a little at that. "I know. And I know you're tired of hearing it but I really _am_ sorry..."

If looks could kill, Aerrow was sure that he would be dead ten times over. Cyclonis's glare was just plain _poisonous._

"...but I just want you to know this. I don't regret it."

"What the hell does that mean?"

And Aerrow took another chance.

~ **Dominance** ~

Kissing her the second time was a rush, just like before. There was also the added danger of expecting to be brutally killed by an angry crystal mage.

_But, hell, if this isn't a way to go..._

It was a little awkward, because she was sitting, her knees tucked underneath her, and he was half crouched, but the burn in his legs was worth it.

He kept the kiss chaste, just brushing his lips with hers. But as the seconds drifted by he grew bolder. He even indulged himself by letting his hand rest where her neck and shoulder curved together. He could her heartbeat fluttering under his fingertips.

_So the crystal witch has a pulse after all..._

When Aerrow felt Cyclonis's fisting his shirt, he was pretty sure that she was going to throw him off. He wasn't expecting to be forcefully dragged closer, her other hand snaking up his neck, or her lips hungrily meeting his.

It even seemed when kissing it was a quest of dominance between the two of them. Their lips were pressed hard enough together, Aerrow was sure one of them was going to land up with bruises. Fingers were tangled in hair, and every nerve was hyper sensitive.

Reality crashed into him when a sharp pain burned in his lip and Cyclonis's sudden weight carried them to the floor.

Her lithe body was perched over his, his arms pinned under her hands. His widened green eyes met Cyclonis's icy glare. Despite the heated flush to her face her eyes were cold.

_Crap..._

~ **Want For Nothing**~

She was hissing the words before she realized they had exited her mouth. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you?"

Aerrow tried to shrink away, despite his trapped position.

"Whaaa-?"

Her face hovered over his, their lips almost brushing again. She was roiling with emotion; lust, elation, and there was also rage and confusion. It had been a while since anything had driven her so crazy, and she hated the breathlessness that her battling emotions left her with.

"You heard me." Anger was the safest thing to latch onto. It was the most easily understood. She knew what she could do with anger and how to satisfy it; usually it demanded blood and pain.

"What do you want?" she whispered dangerously soft.

"What I want?"

"Yes, what do you want? "

"I... I just" Aerrow offered meekly.

Her voice lost its venomous edge, and just carried scathing sarcasm.

"You just what?" she purred into his ear. She was confident again, steeped in all familiar rage.

She nudged his ear with her nose and felt him tremble a little beneath her. _Damn right he should be scared, the mouse has gotten far too comfortable with the cat I think. _

~**Burn, Baby, Burn**~

"Does the little Sky Knight like playing with fire?" She taunted, grinding her hips against his painfully slow. He gasped and wiggled, but her straddling hips kept him pinned securely under her.

"You know what happens when you play with fire?" she asked rhetorically.

Her lips moved from his ear and she kissed him hard, cutting off any answer, and she let her tongue run along Aerrow's lip that she had bitten none too kindly. She tasted blood.

"You get burned," she whispered, "And you know the really nasty thing about burns? If you don't put cold water on them real quick they keep burning," she gave another slow grind of her hips, not hiding the Cheshire grin as Aerrow tried to not to thrash.

"And burning. If you're not careful, it could get real serious. You'd have some nasty scars."

Her mouth travelled down his neck, her teeth nipping hard. "You look like the type who would scar easily too. What with that oh-so-fair skin of yours. A lot of girls must envy you for your complexion," she added snidely.

She leaned back, admiring her work. Aerrow was breathless beneath her, his neck bruising and his lips smudged with blood. His green eyes were hard, practically glittering with something dark. Probably hatred or anger. Maybe a bit of both.

"You know, you surprise me. Really Aerrow, I thought you were a gentleman, and a gentleman doesn't carry on with a lady like you have. You're a touch too familiar with me."

~**Don't Make Me Ask Twice**~

"I already apologized," he managed to spit out, tripping over the words.

Cyclonis rolled her head in a nonchalant manner, but the grip she had on his wrists tightened. "You've apologized more than once, if I do recall. And yet, it doesn't change that you've kissed me. More than once. So it makes me wonder what you want. Which brings me back to the original question. What do you want?"

Aerrow opened his mouth to answer before clicking it shut.

Cyclonis narrowed her eyes at the growing silence.

"I think I know what you want."

"And what's that?" Aerrow asked hesitantly.

Cyclonis tilted her head and quirked an eyebrow. "To fuck me."

The furious colours the Sky Knight turned were lovely. His face was practically the same shade as his hair. His brilliant eyes widened even more. It was really an enjoyable sight.

"N-no I don't," Aerrow indignantly sputtered.

The smile Cyclonis carried on her lips was not in any way kind. "I think someone would care to argue." She ground her hips hard against his to prove her point. The sadistic part of her enjoyed his half strangled moan a little too much. She was going to have him begging her for it. And she had no intention of giving him anything.

This Sky Knight was going to learn the hard way that she was not to be trifled with.

~**I Shall Not Bow**~

"I don't want to... to _fuck _you," Aerrow spit out, the words acerbic on his tongue.

"Oh, does the Sky Knight not want to get his hands dirty? Doesn't want his honour sullied? Doesn't want to admit that he's not any better than any other man? That you don't have base instincts like everybody else? Your innocence is disgusting," Cyclonis hissed cruelly. "Honestly, with your suppressed sexuality can you even find it in yourself to pleasure a woman? Or are you too much of a _coward_? Tell me, Sky Knight, are you still a little virgin or have you actually managed to have carry on with an intimate relationship?"

Aerrow didn't rise to the bait quite like she hoped. "Why are you being so mean?" he asked, honest surprise in his voice.

"Mean? _Mean_? Oh, silly Sky Knight. This is me being nice. And I can continue to be nice, provided you don't aggravate me. And denying that you don't want to fuck me when there is very clear evidence that do will aggravate me. Unless you really can't feel anything below the waist down?" Cyclonis taunted.

"I can say with complete honesty that I don't want to fuck you, Cyclonis. I want to make love to you. There's a distinct difference between the two."

* * *

_A/N: _Getting sick of my cliffhangers yet? And I apologize in advance if there are spelling and/or grammatical errors in this chapter and the following chapter. I've been writing this one on and off for a while - so very different it is from what started. Expect a new chapter likely tommorow - it's just being a pain to edit. I keep giggling or blushing from embarrassment. Let's just say that Cyclonis and Aerrow are definitly getting coal for Christmas. I'll stop teasing, 'til then!


	50. Chapter 50

_A/N: _I warn y'all now, there is a very distinct, strong lemon flavour to this chapter. So those easily offended by such things, best to leave this chapter be because this fic is finally earning the M rating it has.

* * *

~** Heaven or Hell **~

Aerrow had never seen Cyclonis so stunned. Not even when her Storm Engine was literally collapsing around had she looked so surprised. Those beautiful amethyst eyes of her were wide. Her lips were parted, swollen from their violent kisses and smudged with blood from his bitten lip.

Perched like she was, her weight delicious against his groin, and her hair haloing around her face and that expression she wore; she was divine. An angel, a dark angel, that had no mind for his soul and would let him burn in Hell for kicks. But damn, if he didn't want to get burned, just a little bit.

His body was already on fire, his body aching at Cyclonis's cruel ministrations. She redefined the word _cocktease_. The fire of his arousal was already eating away at him, destroying his current state of mind. He might as well embrace the burn. It wasn't going anywhere. Especially if Cyclonis decided not to play nice.

But if she wasn't going to play nice, then neither was he. Taking advantage of Cyclonis's state of shock, he twisted his hips in a manoeuvre that toppled the crystal witch off him with a yelp and carried her underneath him. Now _she_ was trapped beneath him.

~ **Role Reversial **~

There was always thing that Cyclonis had always hated and counted on in a Storm Hawk, and that was their ability to surprise her. Having Aerrow under lock and key hadn't changed that little detail. And despite the numerous times that that she had been surprised, she was still rattled. So shellshocked in fact, that she didn't realize that she had lost her dominant position until she felt her back hit the floor, and Aerrow's heavy, masculine weight was resting on her.

Bright green eyes met hers, leaving her heart to flutter in her ribcage and her breath to catch in her throat. Aerrow's words echoed in her head like a chorus.

She could count on one hand the number of people that had claimed they wanted to "make love" to her (a trite and inconsequential phrase if she had ever heard one); all of them had wanted something.

But the look in Aerrow's eyes as he leaned down, his lips brushing cautiously against hers. There was liquid heat in her belly, and a disconnected feeling with her body, and it was different than what she had ever experienced.

Aerrow, with his delicate and sweet kisses, was in control, not her. His hands roamed on their own accord along her waist, and weren't guided by her to where she wanted to be touched. His weight was above her, dominant and possessive and she let him be.

She could feel Aerrow's erection brushing against her, but he took his time, the little kisses growing deeper. This wasn't the hurried rush to the end that she preferred.

It was intimidating letting this thing, whatever was, just carry on as it willed instead of dictating where it was going. So when Aerrow broke away from her, she was just a little bit raw.

~ T**here Is No Try**~

_God, she's beautiful, _Aerrow couldn't help but think. Her amethyst eyes were catching the glow of the crystal light, making them seem to carry incandescence in them. She was panting, her breasts heaving against his chest. Breasts that would probably fit perfectly in the curve of his palm if he cupped them. Her hair, dark like a raven's wing was fanned beneath her head, and her arms were still spread above her head from when he had initially reversed their positions. It was the most dishevelled he had ever seen her, and, damn, it was sexiest thing he had ever seen. It made him wonder what she would look like after sex; her skin damp from sweat, smelling of sex and her body boneless underneath him after orgasm.

"Can I?" He asked. The question terrified him. He had never wanted anything so bad like he did right now. He was really at the point of no return. If she said no, well... he hoped she had the mercy to kill him.

"Can you what?" she asked, her voice of clean of sarcasm, venom, and all her typical acidic disdain. It was the sweetest thing he had ever heard.

"Make love to you?" He almost stumbled over the words. He honestly had never felt more like an idiot than he did right now. This was so painfully awkward. And he didn't know what he was going to do if she said no. The way she looked at him, like he was some crystal she was studying, made him believe that was the answer, too.

But, instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged him close so she could whisper in his ear.

"I don't know if you can or can't, Sky Knight, but you certainly _may._"

~ **New Ground** ~

If words were to have tastes, then Cyclonis's permission was honey on his tongue. Every fibre of him was begging for release already, just to tear away their clothes and ravish her like he had dreamed of for so many nights. But that _would _be fucking her, and he wanted to give her more than that. He had promised as much.

The kissing was more heated, her tongue sliding against his, hot and wet. The entanglement of their tongues had them both groaning, and the sound that Cyclonis emitted when he bit down gently on her lip was intoxicating.

He let his lips wander; his tongue tracing intricate designs on her neck. Her body arched into his when he found a sensitive spot. His teeth dragging at the junction of her shoulder and neck, and his tongue swirled in tight circles. Her fingers knotted themselves in his hair, almost to the point of pain but the delicate precipice was arousing.

His hips were grinding against hers against his will, his cock rubbing against the heat of her. She was moaning into his ear, her legs wrapping around his waist to be closer. The layers of clothes between them were quickly becoming aggravating, but he could still feel the heat of her sex against his organ. He wasn't sure but he imagined that if he was to let his fingers travel that they would feel the dampness of her arousal.

He resisted, instead, pulling Cyclonis and himself into a sitting position. His muscles complained, but the pleasure was worth it. At this new angle he decided to acquaint himself with the breasts he had been admiring earlier, his mouth sucking hard on one bosom despite the fabric in the way.

The little gasp she gave that carried just a hint of his name was all the encouragement he needed.

~ **South** ~

This was probably the only time that Cyclonis was really glad something had gone something south. Suggestive pun _completely_ intended.

The Sky Knight's mouth was at her breast, dampening the fabric of her shirt, and his hand was pressed into the arch of her back. Her spine was molded into a sharp c-curve at the delicious pleasure Aerrow was giving her. His tongue swirled around her nipple, rubbing the cotton of her shirt against her hardened teat. Her hips rocked against Aerrow's, and she was slick with desire. She could feel his cock rubbing against her, carrying the fire in her core to higher temperatures. She wanted her clothes off. She wanted the texture of his tongue on her skin.

She moaned, "undress me" and didn't care how it came out almost pleading. Between the pair of them they were able to free her from her jumpsuit, and her skin was bare to the world. Aerrow's mouth was as wonderful as she thought it was going to be. As his suckled, his slick tongue swirling around her hardned nipple, his teeth catching, and the roughness of his palms on her skin, she could feel her inner walls aching. They were contracting, looking for relief from the pressure building.

"Aerrow," she moaned, tightening her legs around his waist, rocking harder against him, her insides begging to be filled. It was unfair that he was still dressed. She wanted him inside her.

"Aerrow, don't make me wait anymore," she commanded, tugging at his shirt.

He answered by untangling himself from her, setting her on the ground gently and shucking off his clothes.

~ **Kaleidoscope** ~

He knelt in front of her, and she opened herself to him. Both of them were breathing heavily, and the place where their skin touched was ice-hot. She could feel Aerrow's tip at her slick entrance, and it made her keen in a very unempress-like way. Like everything else, Aerrow took his damn time. He inched his way in almost painfully slow until he was fully inside her. She was panting and biting back a scream of pleasure when he finally slid home.

Aerrow went back to kissing her, tongues sliding against each other as Aerrow slid in and out of her at a measured pace. Her hips rocked against his, trying to reach that golden climax that her she could feel herself falling into. He fitted perfectly into her, and stretching her and moving against her in a way that had her head spinning.

The tempo was quickly gaining speed. Cyclonis was whimpering and moaning as the speed increased, and at Aerrow's tongue dancing in her mouth. The measured pace was gone, and the Sky Knight was pumping into her, his shaft, slick from being inside her, was creating an erotic friction inside that had her moaning his name. Her back was arched, and Aerrow's chest above her moved across her nipples, making her gasp and make her ache even more.

Both of them couldn't get enough air into their lungs, and Cyclonis knew she was nearing the edge, she was dancing along it. Her body was buzzing, everything seemed disconnected. All she could think of was Aerrow's hot cock moving inside her.

"Oh, god," she whimpered, "_Aerrow_. Ohhhhhhh."

Aerrow moaned in her mouth, and then she felt his release, a hot liquid inside her. She was carried across that edge, hips bucking, the world spinning into different colours.

~ **Morning After** ~

The cold floor at her back brought her back to reality. Aerrow's bulk on top of her was keeping her from freezing, but it wasn't comfortable.

"I'm not sleeping on the floor, Sky Knight, so you had better get off," she grumbled, her voice carrying none of its usual acerbic tones.

Aerrow mumbled something but didn't move.

Cyclonis rolled her eyes, and rolled her hips, dumping Aerrow to the floor in a tumble. He woke up from that, clearly startled. He looked at her and there was clear confusion in his eyes.

"Get up, get dressed, and into bed," she groused, trying to hide her embarrassment. She hated the moments after coitus; they were so awkward and just better avoided. And typically there was cuddling, and she hated that too.

She picked up her clothes, and tossed Aerrow's his, and promptly got dressed. She ran her fingers through her thin hair, trying to sort herself out. She wished she could have a bath to help tidy up, but that would have to wait. She was mentally trying to calculate when the Doctor was supposed to arrive. She probably an hour still, but she wasn't sure. It would have been an awkward scenario if the Doctor had walked in on them.

"Are you in a hurry to go somewhere?"Aerrow asked behind her.

When she turned around, he was only half dressed. She hated the way her breath hitched at the sight of him.

"I have things to do, besides, the Doctor will be here soon," Cyclonis aloofly stated.

A disappointed look crossed Aerrow's face but he was quick to hide it. "Oh, okay. I'll see you later then?"

She wasn't sure what possessed to do her it, but she cupped Aerrow's cheek, promising, "later," before she left.

* * *

_A/N: _Whew. In all my time writing, I think this particular chapter was the biggest struggle for me; though it did seem to grow a mind of it's own as I wrote it. Also, forgive me for any OOCness; first full on lemon I've ever written (I've written stuff with a hint of citrus scent, but never this). But seeing as you all are getting this update on Christmas you shouldn't complain too much about the present. It's the thought that counts after all.


	51. Chapter 51

~ **It's Not Ketchup** ~

Cyclonis couldn't find the desire to pay attention. Tempest was leading the council meeting, and it was bureaucratic trivial matters. How much wheat there was still in the granaries, the rising cost of slaves, air traffic regulations... nothing to hold her attention.

It didn't help she still felt a small glow thrumming in her veins. Her mind wandered, remembering the events of the previous night in vivid detail. It had been a while since she had felt anything at such intensity, and she knew that a destructive part of her was craving more.

While she played with that idea and what it could entailed, she distantly wondered what she was going to do about Furor's offer. She couldn't very well accept could she? She had only considered the idea fleetingly, and now... there was a definite lack of interest on her part. It might be smart politically, but she wasn't so desperate yet that she felt the need to stoop to such methods.

She just hoped Furor would take the rejection well. She couldn't really afford the fallout.

Not that she had seen him. The council meeting was well under way, several hours had already passed.

She listened to Tempest's drone on, trying to not fall into day dreams, she decided to worry about Furor when the time came.

The room was suddenly buzzing with whispering voices, drowning out Tempest. Tempest tried to speak over the rising voices, to try and wrest back control, but it didn't work.

"What's the meaning of this?" Tempest shouted, as someone came forward, escorted by guards.

It was Furor. And he was covered in blood.

* * *

_A/N:_ I'm very sorry about the lapses between updates. The intensity of the last chapter was very draining, and I had less time on the holidays then I expected. And the first few weeks of school were not kind. Here's hoping for more regular updates, eh?


	52. Chapter 52

~ **Storm Hawks** ~

Furor was rambling, trembling. Many of the other Masters were leaning forward, curiosity hidden on their faces.

Tempest had risen from his seat, disgust mixing with the horrified expression he wore.

"Master Furor, care to explain...?" Tempest declared, his gaze directed pointedly at the blood smearing the front of the elderly Master.

"My son... my son...his face, I tried to fix it... those sky _rats,_" were the weak whispers. None of it made sense. Cyclonis's gut was clenching at the mad ramblings of the old man. She had always felt a small trickle of fear in her spine when it came to insanity. Crazy people were unpredictable; she disliked not being to understand a person's actions and motivations.

Tempest also seemed a little lost, "Master Furor, speak clearly, or you'll be removed. Now what has happened that requires you to be late and disrupt a Council session?"

Tempest's voice seem to draw Furor out of his state, if only a little. There was definitely a crazed look in the elderly crystal Master's eyes.

"Don't pretend that you don't know! My son returned last night from Circini, with only a half dozen soldiers with him from the original regiment you sent! The rest are dead! My son is nearly dead! Did you see what they did to him? And it's your fault! You should have dealt with the problem sooner, we were fools to let them live for so long!" Furor ranted, spittle flying his mouth, as he stalked towards Tempest.

Tempest's mouth pressed into a firm line. "I have no idea what you speak of."

This seemed to infuriate the older Master. "Pffft, course not. You don't ever pay attention, unless it will line your pockets! The Storm Hawks, you fool! It's the Storm Hawks!"

* * *

_A/N: _Can you tell what the next chapter might be about? And I give you more questions than answers, don't I? All will be revealed soon-ish.


	53. Chapter 53

~ **Broken Girl** ~

_Why does it have to be snowing all the time? _The Merb wondered, his arms wrapped around middle in a futile effort to keep warm.

"How you holding up, Stork?" a female voice asked.

"Oh, fine, j-just fine. Especially now that I can't f-feel my toes," he ground out from his shivering teeth.

He just got an exasperated sigh from Piper. That put guilt wiggling in his stomach. The girl had enough to worry about as it was, he shouldn't be bitching.

"Just a little longer, and then I should get this fixed. Then we'll be good."

Fixed, was a misuse of the word. The _Condor_, his precious baby-girl, was far from fixed. The windows had been shattered inward from the impact, and snow was filtering in through the open maw of the observation deck. Instruments were shattered, and scattered, and now at risk from the elements. Very delicate and precious instruments, for that matter. And that was just one part of the ship. He wanted to cry when he thought about the rest of her.

He didn't know where to start, or what to finish. Heat and light had been Piper's priorities and they been his compass, and he almost was there.

Piper wore a tight smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thanks, Stork," she reached out and patted his shoulder. A sign of affection that didn't have the same usual warmth.

A question was sticking to the back of Stork's throat, but he loathed to ask it. He did anyways, because his uber paranoia and obsessive concerns wouldn't let it go.

"Piper? How's Junko?"

"He'll be good once the heat and lights are back on."

Stork could taste the lie, it was ash in the air. It was inescapable, like the haunted look in Piper's eyes.

~ **A Little Longer** ~

Everything was cold. It had seeped into his bones. In his head. His heart.

The meagre warmth from a solaris crystal did little. Finn could still feel it, the cold coiling deeper and deeper inside him. The only warmth he felt was from Junko's giant paw of a hand. But then, even it was cold. Colder than it should have been. Wallops had a high body temperature, they were always hot to the touch. Junko's hand was lukewarm.

"How is he?" someone asked softly. Finn smelled Piper, then felt her body heat, as she got close. Those two things alone would have gotten his blood running hot, but now all he felt was an empty coldness.

"Well, enough."

He felt a brush of her lips against his temple. He knew she was trying to be comforting, but nothing could break through the coldness that had settled over him.

"You should rest." Cinnamon-skinned hands skimmed over his arm. It had been broken in two places. The chilling atmosphere of Circini made the breaks in his bones ache.

"I'm fine for a little longer," he said, shrugging off her hand, refusing the escape she had offered.

Piper nodded, turning to leave. She didn't mention that he had been keeping vigil for nearly a day and a half. That he hadn't eaten anything. Or slept. That, in order for the rest of them survive, he should being doing something productive.

The piece of twisted pipe thrusting through the Wallop's gut, the blood-soaked bandages, the drugged-silence of the sweet-tempered Storm Hawk: they were proof against any argument Piper might provide. So she didn't bother. Finn appreciated it.

Besides, a distant and cold part of Finn noted, what was so important that couldn't wait a couple days?

~ **Keeping Records** ~

_Squadron Log..._

_We've __crashed __landed on Circini, successfully evading capture. We took heavy damage. The hull, observation deck and cargo bay all have gaping holes. The floatation balloon is also torn. Stork was able to repair the circuits for the heat and lighting. The crystal energy is dangerously low, probably won't last more than two or three days. We're also running low on painkillers; we have to keep Junko constantly sedated._

_He __isn't doing well __could be better. We don't have the proper medical training or supplies to treat him. __I'm worried he's going to _

_Our food stores are good for a month. But with our crystal energy so low; well it could get dangerous. We risk hypothermia in these sub-zero temperatures._

_All our equipment is busted. We don't know our coordinates. We have no idea how close we are to where we're supposed to be. We've sent signal flares once we sure the group chasing was gone. We haven't gotten a response, even though we know they're expecting us._

_I'm scared they won't find us 'til it's too late_

_I hope we haven't gotten too far off course. We don't have the resources to go looking for them. Hopefully we have the same luck as last time we escaped from here. We need their help. __I don't know what to do._

_

* * *

A/N:_ Yeeeeeah, the Storm Hawks are having shit luck aren't they? On another dreary note, I apologize for the slow update. Blame my school. I'm there from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm working on homework. I have NO free time. You can see how updates time suffer as a result, yes? (And, hint, this will likely continue 'til the end, seeing as we're working on final projects and such now-ish). But don't despiar! You guys finally found out what happened to the Storm Hawks! And they're alive and well... mostly.


	54. Chapter 54

~** Strings of Tension **~

Waiting was the hardest, especially for the inevitable.

"_Why aren't you doing anything?"_

They were the Storm Hawks, one of the most talented squadrons of their generation. They had battled Murk Raiders, Raptors, and Cyclonians. They had always made out alive, and together.

"_All you do is stare out at the snow, Piper. Help isn't coming, let's face it!"_

Then Aerrow and Radarr had vanished and it had all gone to hell.

"_Stop yelling at me, Finn! Look, I'm trying! I really am!"_

She wasn't sure how Aerrow had managed it all those years. Not the plans or the schemes, or the fighting. Piper knew that. Heck, she developed well over half of their tactics. It was the morale. Keeping the family together.

"_Trying? Trying? You're just having us sit here and wait! That looks like a whole lot of nothing, Piper!"_

The stress was making her sick. She hadn't been able to keep anything down for days. Not that they had much food left. Just another worry to add to the list; if they didn't freeze to death then they could starve. Not that it seemed to matter. As Stork would say, they were doomed. Junko seemed to be the only one that would have a painless death, what with all the painkillers he was on. It wouldn't be long now, though.

Yes, waiting was the hardest.


	55. Chapter 55

~**In The Dead of Night**~

They came in the night. When the stars were distorted from the snow falling in heavy flakes.

Piper was sitting alone in the freezing bridge, staring through the cracked panes of glass when she saw them. Heavy figures whose gender was indiscriminate because of the heavy furs they wore.

She met them outside, the heavy blanket wrapped around her doing little to keep out the cold. "We thought you didn't know where to find us," she said, her breath misting in the cold.

The leader, a person who was only notable because of their height over the others stepped forward. Piper thought it must have been a man, but the voice was distinctly female.

"We saw the flare, we're sorry it took so long, Storm Hawk."

The dark oppression of doom that had been settling over Piper's heart finally lifted just a little.

"We need your help, our friend is hurt."

The lead figure nodded and the others behind her filed into the Condor.

"Any enemy of the Council is a friend of the Resistance. We'll do what we can."


	56. Chapter 56

~ **Creepy **~

Finn admitted something, "Piper, these guys creep me out."

She just gave him a glare. "That's just _rude_, Finn. Especially after all they've done for us."

Finn rolled his eyes. "Doesn't change the fact that these guys are creepin' me – ow!"

"Please, I didn't hit you that hard. Stop being a baby," Piper sighed, ignoring the kicked-puppy expression Finn was wearing.

"As adorable as your flirting is can someone ask how far we are from camp? I'm _freezing. _I'm going to start losing fingers and toes if I don't warm up," Stork hissed from behind them. His had his long arms wrapped tightly around his lithe frame and was shaking like a leaf.

Sympathy was in Piper's eyes. "Don't worry, Stork, we're almost there."

Stork mumbled something dark and just shivered some more.

Finn didn't seem all that sure either. "How do you know that? We've been walking in this underground tunnel for how long? And it keeps branching all over the place! How do we know these guys know where they're even going, huh? Maybe they're leading us in circles," Finn whispered into her ear.

Piper sighed, her gaze straight ahead. Their guides walked in front, pretty much every one of them helping carry the massive bulk of a grown Wallop. They had lead to the way into a small mouthed cavern that had split apart into several tunnels, one of them they were currently taking. Piper could understand Finn's mistrust. She had felt the same way the first time too.

"Don't worry, everything's going to be alright Finn, trust me. Junko will get fixed up, we'll get warm and we'll get to see _her._"

"You and Aerrow never talk about this place much, that time we got separated, remember? But you've mentioned _her_, who-"

"Soon, Finn," Piper promised.

* * *

_A/N: _I feel terribly guilty about the lack of updates. Ch. 54 was written for a while, but I haven't had time to update. Try spending 8+ hours staring at a computer screen - guess what you DON'T want to do when you come home. School is almost done - updates should be less sporadic. Also forgive any spelling/grammatical errors.


	57. Chapter 57

~ **Feeling** **Down** ~

Maybe it was all those years of open skies, but being underground didn't sit well with Finn. Even as their guides lead them to a massive cavern, an impressive city carved into the walls and stalagmites, it didn't matter. They were still goodness knows how many miles below the surface. It put the sharp-shooter on edge.

His nerves weren't settled much by Piper's cryptic answers. Junko was taken away to the infirmary, and their guides had put them into a grand hallway. Now, the remaining Storm Hawks were waiting for something. Finn could tell that Piper knew what, or who, they were waiting for. It pissed Finn off that she wasn't sharing. She wouldn't have kept it secret from Aerrow. Hell, Aerrow probably didn't need to be told. The Sky Knight had been with Piper the last time the Storm Hawks has met with disaster on Circini. Piper and Aerrow had gotten separated from the main group when the Condor had crashed from the messed up magnet field the stupid mountain gave off. They had popped back, saving the rest of the crew from freezing to death. They didn't explain what had happened or where they had disappeared to; just they had some new allies.

Finn had been willing to let the secret lie then, but he was regretting it now.

But the weird thing was - Piper looked _excited_, like a kid at Christmas. Finn had only ever seen her like when she was drooling over a new crystal, or over Aerrow's usual heroics. He never remembered her getting excited over him. And the thought stung a little.

"Will you quit sulking," Piper whispered, clearly not impressed.

The blond opened his mouth for a smart retort, but someone, (a guard?) arrived and ushered them into another room.

"Greetings, Storm Hawks."

~ **Falling** **Behind** ~

Finn heard Stork squeak behind him. Finn didn't blame him, the sharpshooter was sure he had squeaked too. The _woman_ that greeted them wasn't human. Or a Merb, or Blizzarian. He didn't know what she was. Or if she was truly even female. The only good indicator was that it was wearing a dress and it's voice sounded feminine. It possessed a long neck, and an extended oblong, hairless skull. Its body looked delicate and wraith-like. It had too many fingers and its skin seemed translucent with a soft lavender cast. The strangest part was the eyes; they were lavender as well, but bright and vivid with a glow emanating from them. It reminded Finn vaguely of an insect; some giant purple bug.

Piper darted forward, gushing. "Oh, it's so good to see you again, Agate."

Agate graciously accepted Piper's hug. "And it is good to have you return, child."

Agate looked around, blinking languidly. "Two of your party is absent, where are Aerrow and Radarr?"

Piper bit her lip, her eyes starting to fill with unshed tears. "We don't know. They went missing months ago."

Agate tilted her head, scrutinizing Piper's face. "But you have an idea who might be the cause of their disappearance, do you not?"

"We do," Piper agreed, an edge to her tone. "And I think I'm ready now."

Agate sagely nodded her head. "You are."

Finn suddenly felt two steps behind everyone. "Okay, hold on," Finn interrupted loudly, "What's going on, what are we missing here? And who are you?"

"You have questions," Agate commented, "How rude of me. Please sit, and I shall answer them."

Finn and Stork seated themselves on the throw pillows on the floor, Piper sighed in aggravation as she plunked down.

"I shall answer you're first question. I am Agate."

~ **Agate** ~

"Agate is merely what I am called though. I have another name, from my language. But the human tongue has difficulty pronouncing it, so I haven't been called it in many years. The name of my people also doesn't also translate well into the human language, but for as long as my people remember we have been called the Masters."

Stork raised his hands up, calling for the conversation to stop. "Wait, the Masters? Like the Masters on the Council?"

"Not quite, they actually took their title from us. We were their teachers; we were the first crystal mages."

"What?" Finn yelped, "You guys are teaching those psychos?"

"Finn!" Piper hissed in embarrassment.

"No, he is correct, Piper. But he is also wrong. Yes, we taught the first mages, the ones you now call 'Masters.' We were the ones to help build their great cities and their impressive technology. But, it has been nearly a hundred years since the last of my people taught anyone the Ways. The Council has corrupted and corroded the values they were taught. We do not condone this."

"They why aren't you doing anything? Like, if you're the original Masters why don't you whoop their butts?" Finn argued, getting another glare from Piper.

Agate sighed. "I am only one, young Storm Hawk, and they are many."

"Well, what about the rest of your people?" Stork asked cautious.

"We were an old and dying race when we began our teachings. There were only a handful of us left when the Council formed and abandoned the Ways. We realized they planned to create a tyrannical empire, so we created the Gate. We trapped them to the Farside, making their dreams of an empire dashed. They then slaughtered us at any opportunity with the very tools we had given them as vengeance. I am now the last."

~ **Ready** ~

Silence hung heavy in the chamber.

What could one say at the revelation of genocide? Finn knew he was at a loss for words. Thankfully, Stork seemed to come to the rescue.

"You said Piper was ready, ready for what?"he asked, clearly suspicious.

Agate just sagely nodded her head. "I am the last: when I die all my knowledge shall disappear with me. It is time that the Ways were once again taught. When Piper first arrived, she was not ready for the sacrifices that the Ways demand of oneself."

Agate dropped her shoulder, an elegant and fluid motion, "Now, I believe she understands that sacrifices are necessary for the greater good, before we lose something truly important."

Piper looked subjugated as Agate spoke, her shoulders dropping and her eyes focused on the floor. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Agate just wore a soft smile. "It's alright, child, we each have our own time and pace. It was not meant to be when you first arrived, but now it is.

"What do you mean by sacrifices?" Finn asked, nervous. His mind was going in the worst kind of directions.

"The personal kind; have you never heard 'with great power comes great responsibility'?"

"Whatever, it just better not hurt Piper," Finn warned aggressively. The thought of losing Piper... it just sent his entire world spinning into the dark at the thought.

Agate looked saddened at the accusation, Piper was furious. The 'Master' spoke before Piper was able to let her tongue lash out. "Of course, not. Never."

Agate looked at the young cinnamon-skinned woman before her with a motherly fondness. "Piper is dear to me. And I am sure she will carry all our hopes for the future. I would rather die than see harm come to her."

* * *

_A/N:_ Shame on me, I should really stop introducing new characters. Though its understandable seeing as how all the canon allies are across interdimensional gate. And oh, look, backstory!


	58. Chapter 58

~ **Complaints** ~

Finn knew he should have been happy for Piper. She was learning her history, her identity, as a crystal mage. She was learning things that no one had been taught in centuries.

"But she's never around!" Finn complained. He quit his pacing, slumping into a nearby chair. "I miss her."

"Don't worry, Finn. I'm sure once everything gets settled you'll see more of her. She's just got a lot to do right now. I'm sure she misses you too."

Finn gave his best friend a weak smile. "Thanks, Junko."

The Wallop gave the sharpshooter one of his winsome smiles. "Aw , come on, Finn. What are friends for?"

It had been hairy the first twenty-four hours. Even the doctors weren't sure they were going to save Junko. After the meeting with Agate, Finn hadn't left the small private room that had been cordoned off for the Wallop's recovery. He didn't want to admit it but Finn had most definitely cried when it turned out that his best friend was going to make it.

Finn had still stuck close by; he felt distant from the hive of the busy Resistance.

_Feh, the Resistance? How unoriginal can you get?_ Finn thought dismissively.

"What about Stork? How's he doing?" Junko asked. His makeshift bed creaking as he shifted slightly. There wasn't a single bed big enough for the monstrous Wallop, so three cots had been shoved together to make do.

"Busy. They've got him fixing their rides and stuff," was the answer. Stork had stuck by Junko while the Wallop had been unconscious. But now that Junko was in the clear the Merb allowed himself to be conscripted into helping the Resistance.

"Shouldn't you be helping them?" Junko asked.

Finn sighed. "Eventually."

~ **Sense of Value** ~

Junk hated feeling useless. That's why he loved being with the Storm Hawks so much. Heck, that's why had joined the Cyclonian Youth Brigade before meeting Aerrow and Finn and the rest. He needed to feel like he was part of something bigger than himself. A cog in the giant clockwork of life. Or something.

He was worried what his place was now, though. The pipe that had thrusted through his gut during the crash had nicked his spine. The doctors told him that they were doing the best they could; that if he worked hard, he should be able to walk again. But it was going to take time. And that he shouldn't get upset.

Which was hard not to do. He wanted to help, he needed to. Finally, the first time since Aerrow had disappeared, the Storm Hawks had a direction. They weren't lashing out to get back at _them, _wildly and lost. It was a definitive stroke against the bad guys.

It was spring, when action would be taken. The spring thaws would make it easier to get off the mountain. They would storm the capital; sieging the Council's chambers and their homes. With the place of power in the Resistance's control, they would slowly be able to liberate the people of the Farside.

Junko would give anything to help, but he couldn't. He was trapped on his three cots. It bothered him that Finn didn't help; burned Junko deep down, actually. He couldn't really be mad though.

As much as Finn smiled and joked, he looked weary. The sharpshooter wasn't the same person after the crash; not the same person after Aerrow disappeared.

None of them were, and that also burned Junko deep down.

~ **Request** ~

A few days later, Finn received what he thought was an odd request.

"You asked to see me?" Finn asked as he settled down onto a cushion.

Agate waved away the Resistance members that were her current audience. All were large and bulky sort of people with strong foreheads and close eyes; clearly from slave stock. The Council had been 'breeding' slaves for so long that you could recognize a slave typically from their face. It was a thought that twisted Finn's gut.

Once the room was vacant Agate spoke her smooth, measured tones. "Yes, I was hoping you would be able to help me with something."

He shrugged, letting his hands rest in his lap. He felt the heft of the cast on his broken arm rest heavily on his leg. His arm had been properly looked after once the initial meeting with Agate had been done with. "Sure, whatever," Finn answered.

Agate appraised him with her alien lavender eyes, wondering how she should react to his melancholy tone.

"I get the impression you don't like me much, Storm Hawk," Agate commented evenly, without a hint of hostility in her voice. There was only patience.

Finn gave another shrug. Something bothered him about Agate, but he couldn't put his finger on what. It was probably nothing. "I like you fine. What was it that you wanted me to do?"

Agate seemed to settle for the answer, albeit, grudgingly. "I understand with your broken arm that your abilities to help are limited. But I've been made aware that you're skilled in projectile weaponary."

"Huh?"

"Piper calls you a 'sharp shooter' I do believe? She also said you were the best."

"Yeah, guess so," Finn answered, pride evident in his voice.

"Well, I would appreciate it if you were to teach the Resistance."

"I'll think about it."

"Please do."

* * *

_A/N:_ I apologize for not responding to your reviews for the previous chapter. The site was being weird and would tell me the response links were expired. So I'll take this opportunity to thank everyone of you that reviewed last chapter, and anyone whose reviewed at all! Even those of you who just read this story I'm thanking! I love writing this story in itself, but I also am really humbled and love the support and positive feedback you've all given me. So here's my thanks!


	59. Chapter 59

~ **Meditation** ~

Piper took deep, steady breaths. She was sitting in a lotus position, with her hands resting loosely on her knees. Her eyes were closed, but if they had been opened they would have seen a dimly lit room; candles flickering and sending shadows dancing along the walls.

Across from the cinnamon-skinned mage was Agate, sitting in a similar way, a crystal in her hands.

"Now that you've relaxed we can attempt Resonating," Agate measured tone weaved through the meditative silence.

"Resonating?" Piper asked, intrigued. "What does this have to with manipulating crystals?"

Agate's smooth voice answered, "In order for you to use a crystal properly you must _know_ a crystal. You already have good intuition for this, Piper, you just need to practice."

"How are we going to do that?" Piper's interest was starting to peak.

"With meditation; breathe deeply, letting everything go. Feel the air entering your lungs as you inhale and feel it leave your body as you exhale. Let your awareness spread. Don't let your mind wander, just concentrate on your breathing. Can you do this for me?"

Piper nodded, her eyes still closed. She did as she was asked, breathing in and out. Sky-fu demanded the same sort of discipline, so it wasn't foreign to her. The hard part was the sitting still. Her back ached something fierce. It was hard to concentrate.

Eventually, everything seemed to have slipped away and she forgot what she was doing and why. It reminded her of those times she would be so focused in her crystals lab. It was at that moment that Piper became _aware_ of something. But the moment she became _aware _the feeling slipped away like grains of sand.

~ **Learning Curve** ~

Piper stayed late into the evening, meditating and attempting to grasp the same awareness from before but it eluded her.

Agate finally stopped the lesson. "Don't fret over your lack of success. It's very difficult in the beginning."

"But I know I can do this! I've successfully done the Binding, this should be a cake walk!" Piper fumed, frustrated with her lack of progress.

Agate's brows furrowed. "You've attempted the Binding? When?"

Piper gave a sullen sigh. "Years ago, back in Atmos. Cyclonis came back from the Farside able to do it and I learned from watching her. And lots of trial and error."

Agate's voice grew sharp. "That was very dangerous Piper. Even for the initiated it's an incredibly advanced technique and not to be taken lightly. You could have easily killed yourself and your partner."

Piper cringed at the reprimand. It was rare for Agate to lose her composure. "Don't worry. After the last fight with Cyclonis in Atmos we decided to avoid using it. I don't think I _can_ anymore anyways, it's been so long. Not that I can given..."

Realization struck Agate. "Your partner was Aerrow?"

Agate nodded, silently acknowledging Piper's grief, and picked up a chalice close to her left.

"I think that will be enough for this evening. But do me a favour will you? Drink this will you?"

Piper accepted the chalice reluctantly. The contents were a gelatinous fluid that was a pale opaque lilac colour. "What is it?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.

Agate gave one of her patient smiles. "A nutritious drink from my culture. Students are supposed to drink it; it helps keep the body strong. It will also help you with the Resonating."

Piper hesitated before gulping down. She was careful with what she put in her body, but she trusted Agate.


	60. Chapter 60

~ **Hard to Quit** ~

Finn eventually bowed to the pressure and started teaching. If anything, it was good for a laugh. Most of the so-called Resistance couldn't hit the side of a barn. It was also something to do.

As much as he hated to admit it, sitting next to Junko day after day, seeing him struggle and slowly heal wasn't exactly fun. In fact, the complete opposite; it gave him a heavy dose of sympathy and guilt. Which made Finn even feel worse and made him not want to be there even more. Which made the guilt worse, and it made it all the more complicated.

Teaching the pathetic Resistance also provided distraction. He was so tired and exhausted by the end of the day that he barely noticed how Piper rarely ever shared her nights with him anymore. The sharpshooter tried not to let it bother him. It had been mostly about convenience, and providing comfort both of them needed in the void left by their Sky Knight. It had grown into a habit, and like any habit it was hard to quit.

But he'd get over it.

Eventually.

He hoped.


	61. Chapter 61

~ **Meddlesome** ~

"Is everything alright?" Stork asked one day, completely catching Piper by surprise.

Piper blinked in surprise. "Yeah, course it is. Why do you ask?"

The carrier pilot shrugged. "You and Finn aren't really talking; I thought he might have done something stupid. You know, like usual."

Stork was sure that his teammates would have found it creepy that Stork paid extra special attention to their moods; even taking time to make careful notes. It was the only way he would be sure to recognize the signs should one of them get kidnapped and cloned or became infested with mindworms or something even worse.

It was for the safety of _everyone _that he kept track, hence why he noticed the friction between Finn and Piper. It wasn't like he _cared _or anything.

Piper shrugged. "Not really, we just haven't had time to talk. We're both busy."

"And is that alright with you?" Stork asked. He knew about the relationship between Piper and Finn had grown into something else: a stupid, frivolous, emotional thing that could wreck the rest of the dynamic of the Storm Hawks if it went badly. And if Finn did something stupid, like break Piper's heart, he might have to do something about it.

But she didn't _look_ heartbroken. Sure she didn't look like her usual bubbly self, but it had been a while since he had seen _that_ Piper. Still, she looked okay. There was a hallow look in her eyes, she looked a little exhausted but there was still a glow to cheeks. And, Piper had finally gained some weight back from the look of things. Not that it was obvious, with the way she bundled herself up in furs.

"I'm alright, Stork."

And because he didn't have any evidence to the contrary the pilot decided to quit his meddling. He had other things to do, like get a working fleet ready.


	62. Chapter 62

~ **Gifts of Mobility** ~

Junko had always known he was a sentimental soul. It was one of the biggest differences between him and the rest of his species. That's why he gathered members of the Resistance into a bone-crushing hug when they revealed to him a certain gift: a wheelchair.

To most, it wouldn't have seemed like a big deal, but to a Wallop that had been trapped on bed rest for several weeks it was like Christmas had come early. For the first time since the "crash" he was able to be mobile again. He could see something else aside from the four walls that made up the medical tent. And that's _exactly _what he did the minute he could. The first place he went to was the makeshift hangar bay.

His ear twitched at the onslaught of noises; hammers ringing on steel, voices yelling, the hum of crystals. It was chaos, but it was everything Junko missed. He felt a knife of desire to help. He knew his strength could have been used here. The wallop pushed the emotion back, reminding himself to be grateful for what he had.

His ears twitched at familiar steps.

"Hey, Stork."

The merb sneered, more out of misery from the cold than actual malice. "I see those hacks that call themselves doctors have let you loose."

Junko grinned at Stork familiar grouchiness. "Yep! And it looks like you've been keeping busy, huh?"

Stork emitted a disgruntled noise. "Not as fast as I would like. These people have no concept of engineering, let alone aeronautics."

Junko made a funny face that the complicated words. "Well, that's nice, Stork."

The merb rolled his eyes. "What were you planning on doing today?"

The wallop frowned in thought. "I dunno. Maybe visit Piper and Finn later?"

"Mind doing me a favour?"

"Sure."

"Can you go over the east side and watch these idiots for me? Their welding frames together and I don't want them to catch fire. Again."

Junko couldn't help his smile; the knife of desire was tugged free.

~ **Rebirth** ~

Work on the _Condor_ was the slowest. Mainly because the Merb refused to let anyone touch his baby if he could help it. He also had to constantly supervise the idiots under his watch. They needed regular guidance while making the Resistance's future warbirds, 'less they weld the grav-crystals to the top of the ships versus the bottom.

It was a shame Junko was in a wheelchair for who knew how long. He could have used the wallop's strength. Stork felt a stab of guilt for the thought, but he pushed it back. Junko made a decent foreman. The amount of accidents had been halved now that there was an extra set of eyes.

Stork sighed at the state of his baby. The framework had been trashed; bent and twisted to horrific shapes. The Resistance had only dragged back what was salvageable: most of the lift balloon, the engine and parts of the console. It was a better state of affairs than the first time he had been forced to rebuild the _Condor. _That time he had nothing to work from. This time, at least he had the heart.

A lot of the other Resistance members asked him why he bothered. Why not make a new ship, one based off the much faster, hardier, and sleeker warbirds? To them, they didn't understand how the bulbous _Condor_ had defeated so many enemies, especially the waspish looking fighters that the Council favoured (and whose designs they were ripping off for most of the Resistance fleet).

He told them just to wait. It was something that couldn't be explained. You had to see her fly.

* * *

_A/N: _I apologize for the long wait. I had several chapters ready to be beta-ed, but then my computer decided to catch some virus. Did a system restore and lost a crapload of my files - if it wasn't a program it pretty much got trashed. Tried system recovery programs, looking through my recycling bin but dang, those files have gone AWOL. So now I have to do rewrites, which I _hate. _So inspiration is slow in recovering, so you'll have to forgive me.

To answer someone's question about timelines (because review replies have also been glitchy); Ch. 53 (where we go back to the Storm Hawks) picks up exactly where Ch 21 left off - when they crashed. So the chapters that I'm posting now of the Storm Hawks are/will be happening parallel to the events occuring between Ch. 22 through to 52. There's a particlar chapter coming shortly that will have directly overlapping plot points (I'll make a note when it happens) and when we get closer the events leading up to Ch 52 you will see more overlap. Hope that helps clarify things.

Also, just want to thank each every and everyone of you that reviews, reads, watches me and is just a general fan. Hugs for you all, my dears!


	63. Chapter 63

~ **Worrywort** ~

Most people worried. Piper had worrying down to an art. And it had only gotten worse with age and with every nasty curve ball life threw her way. She couldn't sleep well anymore. She was always tired, always anxious. The wrongness of when velvet was brushed against the grain; that's how every day felt. Nothing was wrong in particular, but that knowledge alone didn't make it better.

She had hoped that going back to the Resistance (back to Agate) would solve all her problems. Yes, she was learning at her craft, and fast, but nothing seemed fixed.

"You're distracted," Agate noted, her voice calm and soft. Agate was folded into a lotus position, mirroring Piper's pose.

The crystal mage shrugged.

"Tell me what it is; you need to be of sound mind and body in order for us to make the best progress."

Piper hesitated, trying to find the words. "It's everything. I feel us this pressure. From you. The Resistance. Even the guys. And they don't get it. I try to explain it to them, but they're all so distant. And I'm always feeling sick."

Agate nodded sagely, her thin lips pursing. "I've been delaying in telling you this, but it always happens to students."

"What?"

"You're feeling this confusion because of your attachments, Piper. You need to get rid of them."

Piper's brow scrunched in confusion. "I don't get it."

Agate's hand made a slicing motion. "You need to cut your ties to the physical world. You're worries, fears, and relationships. There are only two choices you can make; your craft or you're friends."

Piper opened her mouth to speak, to argue, but she was interrupted. "You don't need to decide now, of course. But soon, you will have to. The Winter Solstice is coming soon and it's the historical date to initiate a student properly. You have until then, to find your answer."

* * *

_A/N: _Beta-ing this chapter was rather rushed - so I apologize for errors now. I've basically rewritten what I've lost now and now there's a bit of a queue. Expect updates later this week once I get done proof reading.


	64. Chapter 64

~**Three** **Gone**, **Three** **to** **Stay**~

The soft rustling alerted Finn that someone had entered his sleeping tent. He instinctively grabbed his nearby crossbow, but relaxed when he saw the intruder. "Piper?" The crystal mage was silhouetted from the soft glow of torches, but Finn still knew it was her. Piper let the tent flap flutter shut behind her as she stepped in.

Finn propped himself on his elbows, trying to discern Piper's expression. Something didn't seem right. It had been ages since he had seen her, let alone _seen_ her in a more intimate way. He knew she was crazy busy, but he didn't really expect for her to fall off the terra. He had hidden away his hopes that she would come back when things settled down, or when she got lonely enough. He really hoped that she might drop by just because she missed him; missed _them._

All those hopes came crashing down the minute Piper spoke. "I... I can't do this anymore, Finn."

The sharpshooter was glad it was dark in the tent and near impossible to see his face. "Oh, well... okay then. Guess it was gonna happen eventually. I guess we're going back to what we were before then?"

"I don't just mean us, Finn, I meant everything. I can only focus one thing right now, and that's the crystal stuff." It wasn't exactly what Finn wanted to hear. He could understand the two of them breaking up, but...

"What's that supposed to mean? Wait... are you quitting the Storm Hawks?" Finn almost yelled. "Come on, you don't have to do that! You don't have to quit the team just because we broke up!"

Piper visibly flinched. "I'm not quitting, just taking a hiatus. I need a break, Finn."

"You can't do this!"

"I have to, Finn. I know it's impossible for you, but you could try and empathize for someone for once in your life!"

"Yeah, well, whatever. You go right ahead and quit. We don't need you." Finn rolled onto his side, his back turned to Piper. Silence was heavy in the tent, before a soft rustle indicated Piper left; Finn felt something tear inside when she gone.


	65. Chapter 65

~ **The Bond** ~

Piper had made her choice and she was blooming under Agate's tutelage. Resonating easy to Piper now. She had moved past that to complicated techniques like raw crystal manipulation; using crystals without tools. Just her pure energy to channel a crystal's abilities. She was quickly grasping that. But despite her progress, Piper was still desperate for more. To satisfy her inner curiosity, of course, not for probable vengeance.

Agate was more than happy to oblige. She even started to let her teachings carry late into the night. Some nights they worked away on different lessons. Sometimes they just meditated. It was the only time that Piper found peace within herself, for a little while. It was the only time she didn't really regret the fallout with Finn. And the rest of the Storm Hawks as a result. They all thought that she was abandoning them, but she wasn't. She had to do this for herself, but of course they didn't see it that way. The moments of peace Agate was able to provide were much needed.

This night was different, however. It was the fore promised night of the winter solstice. It was a night for rituals. It was also a night for initiations. It was this night and the promise of power that came with that Piper had left her teammates for.

"So how does this Bonding work? It sounds similar to the Binding," Piper asked.

Agate nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Similar but not quite. With the Binding, the mage acts as a conduit for the crystal energy into another party. Perfect Attunement is required because the crystal energies don't naturally flow that way. They have to think that you and your partner are one and the same. The Bonding, however doesn't require that, because it's not a sharing of energies between a mage and a nonmage. Is this making sense?"

Piper nodded, understanding better. "Okay, I get it but why are we doing it?"

"It's a rite of passage. The Bonding is meant to be shared between student and teacher. It's a powerful technique, but difficult to manifest. It's most commonly done on the solstice because the energies of the world are in alignment."

Piper gave another nod. "So how do we start?"

~ **First Steps** ~

Like everything else, it started with meditation. Piper's nose twitched at the burning incense in the room; she wasn't sure what it was, but the scent irritated and it wasn't the kind that Agate usually used. Piper's held hands with Agate, and the tactician couldn't help but notice the difference between their hands. Agate's skin was smooth, but in the slippery, glass-smooth way. There were also no fingernails on the multiple fingers and that there as many knuckles as fingers it seemed.

Between them, encircled by their clasped hands was a crystal. It was about the size of a phoenix egg, and reminded her of quartz with its thick, rectangular edges breaking its surface. It was also a pale violet, almost white. It was supposed to a conduit.

They started with meditation, as they always did. Piper didn't know what to expect, or how the ritual was supposed to start. Agate just told her that she would know when it began. It was long moments of just breathing, her mind relaxing and becoming calm.

It was subtle shift. Piper became aware that she was tingly. Not numb tingly, but a whole body buzz sort of tingle. From there, Piper realized that she was developing an awareness of e_verything._ She could hear the air _inside _Agate's lungs. She could feel the vibrations through the air when ashes from the incense fell. She was starting to get light-headed, but it was _alright_. Everything was_ alright._ It was like someone had explained to her the secrets of the universe and everything made sense.

But the more lightheaded she became, the more aware she became, grew a niggling fear. A fear that something was wrong, something bad was happening.

_You need to calm down_, Agate's smooth voice said in her mind.

It sounded like a simple enough task, but then Piper realized how _uncalm_ she really was. Her pulse was thundering through her veins, her breath was coming in shallow gasps. Her head was pounding and the sense of _wrongness _just grew.

Piper could hear Agate telling her everything was alright, to calm down. Those were the last words Piper heard before she blacked out.

~ **Slipping** ~

Blacking out wasn't the right word, though. It was more like slipping. It had that sudden weightlessness of a fall, where you wait for the ground to rush up and end the fall. Except there was no ground rushing up to meet you. It was just that constant feeling of falling.

The awareness was still there, but it seemed to have stretched out and spread. Miles and miles away, Piper felt a surge of power that lit up the sky. A weathered looking old man was endowing a crystal with power, a power that could crack open worlds. Closer to home, Piper could feel every heartbeat in the Resistance stronghold. She flowed along her awareness, like a paper boat caught in the current of a river. She let it take her across the Gate even, and she felt the heartbeats of a hundred terras that she desperately missed. She could even feel the thrum of the earth, and the raw strength of the magma pools in the Wastelands.

When Piper awoke, she was disoriented. She wasn't even sure if she was awake, or even alive. It seemed all surreal.

"Oh, good, you're awake at last."

Piper's head snapped to Agate's voice, but the world seemed to tilt at the sudden motion.

Piper felt seven-fingered hands brushing her temple, giving soothing relief to a headache she didn't realize had happen.

"Wha-"

"Happened? It was little too much for you, I'm afraid. You fainted."

"So it was dream then?"

"No, what you saw was real, a side effect of the Bonding ritual."

"Did it work? Is it finished?"

"I completed what I sought out to complete, my child. Now, hush, and sleep."

* * *

_A/N_: Okay, so I hinted a few chapters back that there was a chapter that ran parallel to events in another chapter; this is that chapter. What chapter is this one running parallel with? Chapter 44, of course! Go back and reread it if you can't remember what happened.

In other news... found my "missing" files. Turned out they were hidden for whatever reason. I will also be moving very soon, and I don't know how long I will be without internet. So don't be worried if I drop off the map, okay my dears?


	66. Chapter 66

_A/N: _My apologies; a month competely slipped by without my knowing it. How the time flies! School's started back once more, and I'm working part time so updates might be sporadic, not that they haven't been anything but that for a while now. And I know - more stuff about the rest of the Storm Hawks and nothing on our two little love birds. We'll get back to them sooner rather than later. Promise. Just let this tide you over for now, alright my dears?

* * *

~**Leather-Bound Sterilization**~

Stork didn't really understand humans sometimes. He really didn't. Merb mating practices weren't nearly as complicated as ones the humans followed. Almost. There were usually a lot of blood tests, genetic screening and swapping of medical histories. Merbs were also completely monogamous. It was safer that way. To the merb point of view, reproduction was a necessary evil; the risk of diseases, bacterial infection and possible physical injury equalled the benefits. To Stork, it made sense.

The human way... that made no sense. None at all. Humans let their crazy hormones make stupid decisions with stupid consequences. Not only did humans open themselves up to the risk of contracting diseases, but their eventual fracture of the relationship was usually was messy – even for people who weren't involved. There was then inevitable division of friendship and test of loyalty, terrible awkwardness, and just painful social interactions sometimes. Who needs that? Stork certainly didn't, and he wasn't happy that'd he got the situation thrown into his lap. At least Piper had taken a "hiatus" so at least he wouldn't have been stuck playing the middle man twixt the two of them. Junko certainly couldn't have done it.

The wallop seemed more upset than Finn, of all things. The sharpshooter had gotten back on the proverbial horse and always seemed to have one or two girls on his arm. Always different girls too, it seemed. Stork was going to have to sterilize everything that Finn touched, just to be safe from the nest of bacteria the sharpshooter was bound to be hosting.

The ancient looking book that Finn had just shoved into his hands was included in his sterilizations list – which made him wonder, can you actually sterilize a leather-bound book?

~ **Messenger** ~

"What do you mean you won't?" Finn whined, "Come on, Stork!"

The merb shook his head. "You're going to have to deal with her at some point, Finn; might as well be now." Stork tried to push the book back into Finn's hands, but the blond resisted.

"She's not going to want to see me, Stork, you know that! She'll see you though," Finn countered.

Stork sighed before he growled out in defeat, "What's so important about this book?"

The sharpshooter blanched and then turned pink within seconds. "Some guy gave it to me, so I don't know. He just said he found it and thought that _Master Piper _might like it. It's something about crystals or something, I don't know," Finn spit out, words flying out faster than he could think them. He knew he was a terrible liar, and so did Stork.

"Yeah, mhm, and why didn't this guy give it to her himself? And why give it to you to deliver? Why not me, or Junko? Or somebody else, like Agate's attendants?"

"I don't know, okay? Let's just forget it, alright?" Finn tried to swipe the book back, but it was held out of reach. "I'll give it to her," Stork promised.

Finn visibly looked relieved. "Thanks, Stork. Just make sure Piper gets it directly, and don't give it to Agate. She's nice and all, but she's a little _too_ nice, you know? It's creepy."

The merb just nodded, waiting until Finn had left before he flipped the book open. As he expected, the title page was torn out, jagged edges the only indicator that it had been there.

~ **Visitation Rights** ~

Finn was right about one thing; Piper wouldn't have seen him had he paid a call. Though Piper was too busy to socialize, Finn was the only person she was really avoiding. And though she wasn't supposed to have time to visit with her old friends, she couldn't help but let the attendants invite Stork into her suite. When she had become Agate's student, she had moved closer into a suite closer to Agate's, and was no longer semi-freezing in a tent like so many others.

Piper couldn't help but pull Stork into a hug that he awkwardly accepted.

"Stork! I'm sorry I haven't dropped by, I've been busy, you understand right? How's the _Condor_? Is she almost rebuilt?"

Stork delicately peeled Piper's arms off, feeling comfortable again once his personal space was not being breeched. "It's fine," he said, wincing a little, wondering if Piper's hug would leave bruises. "But how are you?" Concern traced his tone. Piper looked well enough – she looked snug and warm in the fur coat she was bundled into, but there were lines in her face that weren't there before.

Piper shrugged, "I'm not sleeping well, but who is these days? Speaking of which, how, um, is everybody?"

It was Stork's turn to shrug. "Well enough, seeing as the temperature are degrees above freezing here. And that no one down here _bathes_ on a regular basis."

Piper giggled at Stork's usual and familiar dark demeanour. "So why are you visiting? Not to just complain about the living conditions I hope?"

The merb didn't bother to contain his sigh. "I've got a delivery, so I hope you appreciate this, because you know how I hate running other people's errands."

Piper nodded, her eyes bright with curiosity. "What did you bring?"

Stork hefted out the compact, but old looking tome from a voluminous pocket in his fur coat. A smile tugged at his lips when Piper gasped appreciatively; she'd always been a lover of books, the older the better.

"It's beautiful, Stork, who's it from?"

"A distant admirer, I think."


	67. Chapter 67

~ **Running Ragged**~

Piper didn't have much time to herself anymore. She was up from dusk to dawn (not that she could tell, being in a cavern deep underground) and Agate always had her busy doing something; meditation, practicing her techniques, crystal studies, and whatever else Agate put on her plate. She didn't really have time for leisure reading, or leisure _anything_ to be honest. Maybe that's why Piper decided to keep the book to herself and a secret from Agate.

It turned out the book that Stork had delivered to her was more valuable than she initially realized. It was actually an old book about crystal methods and techniques. She didn't know if one of the old true Masters had written it, or if one of the later human ones had, but it didn't matter. For once in her life, Piper had some knowledge in her hands. Most of the stuff the book covered in the first chapters was pretty basic, and things that Piper had already learned; it was the latter chapters that intrigued Piper. Some of the techniques were very advanced, and she trusted Agate to teach to them to her eventually, but Piper wanted to prove herself. She wanted Agate to see her dedication, and she wanted to see Agate's pride when Piper mastered something on her own.

So Piper spent her late evenings pouring over the book, going chapter by chapter when she wasn't too tired.

~** Costs **~

Piper wasn't initially worried all that much when there were some things that Agate hadn't taught her that were mentioned in the book. Even if they were in the beginner's section. Piper was sure that there was a reason for that; they were pressed for time. And she was sure Agate didn't want to waste their time learning the principles of crystal mathematics and conversion rates. Most of it was theory, anyway, very dry stuff, even for her.

It was chapters later, and many nights later, that she came across something a little alarming. She had to reread the text slowly, making sure she was understood it correctly.

It was how to produce a permanent ring of protection around a residence, but the crystals used in the ceremony had to be dipped in the blood of dead man; a _freshly_ dead man. Piper had dropped the book like it had burned her. She didn't want anything to do with a book that mentioned killing a person.

~ **Excuses** ~

Piper did go back to the book, but only when her curiosity had almost gnawed holes completely through her. She was able to rationalize with herself; even if there were evil chapters in the book didn't mean she had to use them. So, Piper continued, flipping past the chapters that were a little squeamish for her, like how to make an oath crystal that would bind the parties to their word; they had to cut open their palms and leave a bloody handprint on the crystal.

Piper's concerns were wary but hidden at that point. They only started to grow again when she stumbled across Subletting.

_The art of Subletting is a delicate one. One risks damaging the soul, or fracturing it, if the ceremony is done incorrectly. The air must be scented with myrrh, and the individual must sit within a circle of salt with the crystal before them. A great deal of power is required, and it is recommended one of the Nights of Ceremony are used for this task. Done properly, Subletting with leave an impression of the person's soul in the crystal. The Subletted crystal will then contain memories, personality and behaviour patterns. This impression can later be 'absorbed' by a student as a learning tool. One must be careful that one does not absorb the impression completely, because then impression will be part of their personality, rather than be a memory. If a person wishes to absorb an impression then the same techniques and safety precautions must be taken when the crystal was first Sublet._

A niggling fear started to root in Piper's gut that terrified her for no apparent reason. She wasn't able to sleep well that night.

~**Hard**-**Earned** **Truths**~

It was like someone had opened Piper's eyes. There were details she hadn't noticed before. Or she was just getting paranoid. She tasted strange herbs in her food, which made her realize how much control over her diet Agate had gained. Which, in turn, made her realize how much control Agate had gained over her life as a whole. Piper was essentially cut off from her original support group. She had become isolated. That put a streak of fear through her as hot as lightning. But no matter how bad or terrifying her paranoia, Piper was able to calm herself with logic and reason. But the usual mantra of how she trusted Agate was starting to wear thin.

How can you trust a person you barely know? How can you understand a person who has lived hundreds of years longer than you? Who has seen the massacre of their kind?

Despite the fears eating away at her insides Piper forced herself to remain calm. She didn't have proof, just paranoia that Agate was less than truthful about something, possibly everything. But that's all it was. And spring was coming soon. She needed to be prepared for the upcoming war, and she needed Agate for that. Once the battle was done and the war won Piper would allow herself to worry about her the problems that seemed to keep on growing endlessly.

* * *

_A/N: _Better late than never I say. Yes, it's been nearly four months. School's been crazy; and we'll leave it at that. And yes, it's not Cyrrow. We'll be getting to that, very shortly, so keep your pants on (four chapters, honest). I swear, all this stuff that's happening is important later on.


	68. Chapter 68

~ **Trembling** **Stars**~

It was a dark night, the new moon hanging dark in the sky. Booted feet danced across the snow with killing grace. The stars seemed to tremble in fear at what the night would bring.

A lone guard shivered in the cold unaware; the hum of crystal energy and the quick cut of his jugular torn open all he knew before he died. He didn't even get to scream.

Booted feet - killers' feet - padded into the vast caverns. They had tracked and hunted and stalked, waiting for this opportunity. Like weasels hungry for chickens, or, rather, thirsty for the blood of a few rare Hawks.

The stars trembled at the darkness coming from the hearts of the hunters; men in shape only, their souls long lost to demons.

The stars trembled in anticipation of the blood, pain, and terror that was bound to fill the dark sky.


	69. Chapter 69

~**Fight or Flight**~

Piper jolted awake, her body tensing from some unknown fear. Primal instinct coiled her muscles, adrenaline pumping through her veins. Her ears strained to hear a noise, any noise, but there was nothing.

_Just a nightmare then..._ Piper thought, trying to breathe deeply. She settled back into the covers, trying to get back to sleep when she heard _it_.

It was so soft, she might have missed it if she had been exhaling; the almost noiseless crumple of a body collapsing to the floor. The crystal mage had dropped enough Talons to recognize that sound anywhere.

In the state of shock of not knowing whether to bolt or stay, she almost didn't hear the soft footfalls of a man-shaped predator stalking closer.

Some hyper sense allowed Piper to be aware of a crystal dagger being drawn but yet to be activated. The glow from it would risk the prey becoming aware.

Piper lay frozen, torn between fight and flight. She was well versed in battle; she knew how to block and parry with her fists and feet. What bones to break, what organs to target, the difference of strength that would determine death or just pain. And despite the number of times of having strangers in her safest of places she still never knew how to react. There was always this hope that it couldn't be happening; that there wasn't a man whose only goal was to end her life, and he had gotten in oh so easily, and if he had managed that how was she supposed to stop him?

A scream tore through the night, distracting the would-be hunter.

Piper chose that moment to strike.

~ **Tussle **~

Piper had been told she was a fierce and skilled opponent; her execution of Sky Fu flawless. But her opponent towered over her, and wore heavy armour. He was also quick, like a viper. His dagger now glowed with a venomous red colour, and left burning arcs at his every swipe.

One such swipe almost kissed her cheek, and her hand snatched at her assailant's wrist, trying to weaken his grip from the dagger. It quickly degraded into a tussle for power, each trying to take the dagger from the other.

Real fear trickled down Piper's spine. Her life had been threatened since she had been fourteen, but it was rare to have someone personally try to steal it away. And even rarer when she felt less than confident that she could defend it.

Her muscles trembled from exertion, before a final shove from the stranger made them give. They both toppled to the floor, and Piper gasped in pain as she hit the floor.

~ **Unprepared **~

It was hard to breathe, and Piper felt something wet and warm soaking her clothes. Panic set in, and she frantically tried to wriggle out from underneath the weight. A pained groan escaped from the man on top of her, and he rolled off. The dagger was hilt deep in his chest. His face was going white, and every breath was a rattle.

Piper felt on the verge of being sick. She hated death. She hated killing. Up until that point she had managed to avoid it.

Nothing in life had truly prepared her to watch a man bleed to death. But then, life hadn't really, truly, prepared her for an assassin in the night. Or having a friend kidnapped, possibly dead. Or having to save the Atmos from a crazed girl her own age at fourteen. Life in general hadn't been kind.

Numbly, she could hear screams. Terror was ringing out, echoing, in the caverns and the passage ways.

She looked at the man who had tried to kill her. His eyes were now glazed over, staring wide, mouth agape. His blood was starting to pool around her feet, making her toes sticky.

As dispassionately as she could, she tugged the blade free, the blood on the hilt staining her palms. She swallowed a squeamish noise.

More screams and the sounds of heavy boots came closer.

It looked like the war had started early.


	70. Chapter 70

~** Me and Mine **~

It was chaos. Somehow the bastards had gotten in. Finn had no idea how they had even found them in the desolate mountain top that had become their base. But they had, and the destruction was akin to a weasel in a rabbit warren. The smell of blood was heavy in the air, accompanied by warrior yells and screams of pain.

They were so unprepared for this. He should probably stop and help. That's what Aerrow would have done. But he wasn't Aerrow. Finn had no grand illusions that he could be everybody's hero. At the end of the day what mattered were him and his; family came before strangers.

He had saddled Junko with Stork, and they were promptly holding tight in the new _Condor_. Occasional explosions indicated the merb was having some fun with his new toys. Finn was suddenly very glad that Stork had been such a prick about installing heavy artillery on the ship, even if it would slow the old bird down. It sure in hell was helpful now.

That just left Piper.

He knew it was stupid to worry about Piper. It was good-head-on-her-shoulders-Piper, completely-capable-of-taking-care-of-herself-Piper. But there some idiotic chivalrous part of him that wanted to make sure she was okay. Didn't matter that she had ripped out his heart. As long as she was okay, everything was okay.

So Finn punched, stabbed, jabbed, swerved and stomped his way to Agate's apartments. The amount of blood pooled everywhere wasn't a good sign.

It made his mouth go dry, because it could be Piper's. And the idea of her hurt somewhere, or ... no, he didn't want to go down that road. He just had to find Piper and then...

Finn hissed under his breath. He had _no_ idea where to find Piper. At that moment a scream broke through the silence.

~ **Desperate** ~

Blood flowed down her arm, making her grip on the dagger in her hand slippery. The blade went flying as she was struck in the face, flying to the floor. She was able to roll out of the way of a blind kick, but she was feeling woozy. There was blood in her mouth and her entire face felt sore.

Panting, Piper watched as the massive man infront of her whirled to hunt her out. Piper winced when she saw his face. Shrike could be considered attractive by some who liked strong jaws, and heavy brows. He looked positively ghoulish now. Blood streamed down his face, and he held one hand to the ruin carved into his eye.

Piper had gone to Agate, to help or be helped, and found the _bastard_ about to strike the killing blow. Right now, behind the brute, Agata was lying prone, possibly dying. She was lying in a growing pool of lilac blood.

Piper was used to fighting men twice her size, but she was out of shape from weeks of nothing but meditation and a certain _condition_ she pretended didn't exist. He was also wearing armour, making it impossible to get a critical hit. He was too tall to aim for his face or throat. It hadn't take him long to overpower her. He had her pinned, choking the life out of her with his bare hands. She was sure she was going to die, right there, when she had been able to work loose the blade trapped underneath her The same blade meant to kill her saved her. She had slashed, and that's when he had _screamed. _It was one of the most terrible noises she had ever heard. And before she could react that's when he had knocked her silly, leaving in their current standoff.

~** Difficult Situations **~

_How am I going to get out of this?_

Shrike blocked the exit, not that she could leave. Not with Agate lying there on the floor like that. Despite the way the huge man swayed, Piper wasn't really willing to fight him again. It hurt to breathe, she had a headache, and she was weaponless. This was some of the worst odds she had faced in a long while.

With a savage yell, Shrike rushed her. Piper dodged, and then blocked a punch to her ribs. She tried to strike back, but, though quicker, her punches did little good but give her bruised fingers. Shrike kept pushing her back, trying to corner her so she wouldn't have room to manoeuvre. She'd be easy pickings then. Panic starting to rise in the back of her bruised throat, Piper looked for a way out.

Her eyes landed on the fallen meditation crystals that had been shattered into sleek icicle shapes.

_That'll work._

Summoning her energy again, she called the crystals, but they barely rolled over. Apparently she was too exhausted.

_Oh come on! Please work!_

The crystal mage felt her back hit wall, and Shrike was pulling out a wicked looking knife. Piper summoned her energy again, but she could _feel_ the call fail.

Piper felt a scream rising in her chest, and closed her eyes, not bearing the idea of watching what came next. She heard a heavy _thump_ and the sound of a body hitting the floor.

"That was harder than I expected," Agate's soft voice filled the room.

~**Will and Testament **~

"Are you alright?" Piper asked, kneeling next to her mentor. Her hands hovered, wondering where to apply pressure to the many cuts decorating Agate's skin.

"No, child, I'm afraid I'm not."

Panic welled up in Piper again. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't lose someone else. "Shhh... don't say that. Hold on, I'll get you help."

Agate's hand latched onto her wrist, her grip pathetically weak, "No... no, there's no need. I won't last much longer. You must be present to give me the last rites of my people."

Piper choked back her tears. "You can't die, please don't die. _Please._"

"Shh, don't despair child. I might die but my work will live on. The line of the Masters will continue. You've insured that."

"You still have so much to teach me, though!" Piper pleaded.

A confused look was in Agate's eyes before she started making a sickly wet noise. It sounded disturbingly similar to laughter. "Silly child, you're not my legacy. You _carry_ my legacy."

Coldness seeped into Pipers bones, despite the warm blood pooling at her knees. "I don't know what you mean."

There was another peal of the gurgling laughter (Piper distantly thought Agate must have blood in her lungs). "You've read the book the merb sent you, child. Surely you know what I did?" There was a soft smile on the Master's face. "Or perhaps you don't?" Agate's benevolent gaze drifted from Piper's face to her belly.

Desperation of a different kind took hold of Piper, "What did you _do?"_

**Refusal**

"You'll see in a few more months, child. Listen carefully, now, I don't have enough much time... I'm starting to fade very quickly. You must begin the ritual-"

"No, not until you tell me what you _did_ and how I fix it."

"Hush, it's much too late for this, Piper. We must start _now _the ritual to sublet an impression of my soul into a crystal."

"_Not until you tell me how to fix it!"_

"As I said, it's much too late for those concerns, child. Now, really, we must begin-"

"I'm not doing it!"

"Please, Piper. If you do not perform the ritual all my knowledge will be lost! The secrets of the Masters must be passed to the next generation."

"No_. I won't!"_

"I gave you a gift, Piper! I gave you a legacy! Don't you see the majesty of the thing I've done? The True Masters will carry on! Isn't it beautiful?"

~ **Change**~

Finn found Piper staring blankly next to the body of Agate. He really never liked Agate, but his heart went out to Piper. He knew that they were close, and Piper really looked up to the ancient Master.

Finn surveyed the room; there was blood everywhere, red and lilac, but Piper and Agate were the only ones in the room. Crystals were shattered, and a dagger was hanging limply from Piper's fingertips.

"Piper, you alright?"

Piper shook her head slowly, her gaze still blank.

"I'm so, so, so sorry, Piper," Finn whispered, gathering Piper in his arms. "I know what she meant to you."

The sharpshooter felt the young woman in his arms stiffen, "Finn... don't..."

"Piper?" Finn's blue eyes searched Piper's, looking for the answers. They were hard. They glittered with unshed tears but something else; hate.

"She... It can't be fixed... she said I couldn't fix it."

"It'll be alright, we'll fix it, whatever it is, don't worry." This Piper scared him. She was calm, but looked like woman whose whole world had shattered. Some part of him concluded she must be in shock.

Piper sniffled, "We can't, it's too late." The despair in her voice almost broke Finn's heart. He hadn't heard her sound like that... well, not since Aerrow disappeared.

"Come on, tell me what to do. I need you to be the leader, okay? I can't do it, Piper. I don't know what to do. " Finn begged. The blond had barely knew what to do when Piper had broke the first time. He certainly didn't know now.

"Finn... that's not fair..."

"Since when have I been fair?"

Piper sighed, familiar annoyance starting creep into her mind. "Idiot..."

"So what do we do?"

"I'm sick of being attacked, of running away and being _used. _We're going to the capital, and finishing this one way or the other."

* * *

_A/N:_ So, hurrary! Last chapter we shall see of the Storm Hawks for a while. They'll come back, but not for a little while. You guys can go back to enjoying your Cyrrow. Also apologies - I had difficulty writing this chapter and in general I have a hard time grasping Piper's character. I think this chapter is dripping in _angst_ and is swimming in a pool of _drama_, but I tried. I think it's trying too hard to be subtle. We'll see what you dears pass judgement on me. So, next chapter we're going zoom a few weeks back to the future and hook up in the timeline where we left off our darling Sky Knight and dark Empress.


	71. Chapter 71

~ **Decisions, Decisions **~

The meeting had been adjourned; the Masters dismissed for the day. An investigation was going to be held in regards to the events on Circini. That seemed to satisfy most concerns.

For Master Cyclonis, it didn't. She had _politely_ argued that they should take action immediately. They were wasting time and losing an opportunity.

Of course, no one listened. That had put her in a _sour_ mood. And the day had started off so well.

"You're home early, Master."

Cyclonis flicked her hand in acknowledgement to the Doctor's statement. She focused instead on removing her cumbersome collar and fixing it on the stand designed to hold it.

"You're back early, I trust everything went well?" The Doctor asked.

She gave one of her calculating glares. "Where's the Sky Knight?"

The Doctor nodded in the direction of the bathroom. "Washing up."

Cyclonis shrugged out of her heavy cloak, draping it on the back of a chair. "You're dismissed then."

"Are you sure?"

Cyclonis narrowed her eyes in response.

"As you wish, then, Master Cyclonis."

Cyclonis rolled her eyes, her mind caught by her current problem. She distantly heard the door click shut.

_What to do, what to do._

Aerrow had, once again, become a liability with the reappearance of the Storm Hawks. There was the possibility that they might have been killed in the raid (at least _some) _and there was the possibility that some (hopefully) had died in the crash. Knowing her luck, though, they probably were all hale and accounted for.

And she really didn't know what they were going to do. But she suspected that it was going to be big. Shrike had left with a party of forty. Twelve returned. Four Storm Hawks couldn't have done that much damage on their own.

There were rumours of a resistance movement in that area. Evidence suggested the Storm Hawks had found some allies. But what would their next move be?

More importantly, what should hers be?

~**Front Row Seat **~

"How long have you been in that tub, Sky Knight?"

Cyclonis smirked at Aerrow as he yelped, splashing water everywhere.

Cyclonis inspected him from the door. "Time to get out, then. You're starting to prune, I can see it from here. You also need to eat."

Aerrow sighed in response, settling back into the large tub. The water was hot, and it took the aches out of his bones from the cold. "Make me."

"I can and I will, so don't push it." Cyclonis wasn't in the mood for this. What to do with the stray Storm Hawk was a serious concern. Death would be easiest, but the idea curdled her stomach. Maybe stowing him away - but where?

"I'd like to see you try," he shot back. He raised an eyebrow in a dare.

Her eyes widened before they narrowed. She didn't have time for this nonsense. She stalked to the side of the tub, clearly not bluffing. It didn't escape her notice that Aerrow slid into the murky waters a couple more inches, or a delectable blush was creeping up his neck.

She gave him a measured glance, making his cheek flame, before she rested herself on the side of the tub. With one hand she wrapped the cord for the plug around her fingers and gave it a tug. With a gurgle, the water started to drain.

Cyclonis smirked as she watched the Sky Knight's reaction.

"Okay, fine, you win, I'll get out. Now are you gonna sit there all day or you gonna give me some privacy?"

Cyclonis couldn't help it as the smirk on her face grew. She crossed a leg, looking smug. "Oh, don't mind me. You go right ahead. Besides, it nothing I haven't seen before."

Aerrow's face was nearly as red as his hair.


	72. Chapter 72

~ **Tease **~

Teasing the Sky Knight was more fun than it ought to be. He made it _way_ too easy.

"Well, are you going to get out?" she asked with saccharin tones. Aerrow just blushed, panic lighting his green eyes. It was almost disgustingly adorable how _painfully_ shy the boy was. She didn't know how the Sky Knight had managed to keep so much of his innocence intact. She _knew_ that he had bedded women prior to her. It made her ponder their little liaison the other night. She had gut feeling that the rather fierce intensity of the other night was an exception and not the rule. It wouldn't be terribly out of character for the Storm Hawk to be terribly vanilla.

"You're seriously not going to move are you?"

She just smirked in lieu of a response. Aerrow's expression just turned positively surly at that point. _ Oh, yes, too fun and too easy._

So she was little caught off balance when she was pulled into the tub and into the lap of a certain red-head faster than she could blink.

"Did you just yelp?"

Cascades of emotions were playing through her head. Surprise first and foremost. There was anger – she was wearing leather damn it all, and her ass was completely soaked. There was also a sense of vertigo that she was inexplicably getting from the little half smile that was tucked in the corner of the bastard's mouth. She settled for indignation.

"No, I did not. What was the point of that?"

"Well, now we're both a little uncomfortable aren't we?"

Well, she was already soaked. "I wouldn't _say_ that."

Aerrow's expression as she draped her arms around his neck, and her face hovering his... now, that was priceless.

* * *

**A/N: ** Oh my gosh, it's a very late Christmas miracle!


	73. Chapter 73

**~Toe the Line~**

Sweat was making her hair stick to the back of her neck. The air was cool on her skin, but she wasn't cold. A warm weight was curled into her side, a heavy arm wrapped around her waist. Cyclonis wasn't much for cuddling, but she was tired.

_Why do I keep letting this happen? It's just going to get messy._

She kept meaning to distance herself from the Sky Knight, draw a line in the sand and quit the damn intimacy between the pair of them. She just _knew_ it was going to end tragically (for _him_ of course). And she knew because the damn red-head _cared_ about her. He hadn't spewed any _love_ nonsense thank the merciful gods but she could tell that he didn't, or couldn't, separate sex from romantic attachment. And that made the Storm Hawk unpredictable. People did stupid things for people they cared about.

It was how the mess with the Dark Ace had started its tragic downward spiral. Ace had been the exemplary soldier. She trusted him to watch her back, and he trusted her to watch his. And a perfect working relationship went to hell the minute they started caring. He suddenly felt he had something to prove, and it just turned into anger and resentment when he fell short. And her first crush developed into bitterness and disappointment.

_People are just tools and weapons for you to use. If they are no use to you then you don't keep them,_ was a lesson her grandmother was fond of telling her.

She knew what her grandmother would have said about Aerrow (_kill him like a dog_), so what did it say about _her_ that she didn't even consider that a viable option anymore?

**~Avoidance~**

She was in her lab, chalk marking her clothes from doing equations on the huge slate boards that hung from the walls. Cyclonis had successfully gotten a Leecher crystal to take on the properties of icers, floaters, boomers, and various other crystals in her possession. But all of the crystals died too quickly. Well, too quickly for Furor's tastes. He still wanted to test the limits.

A majority of the Masters required themselves to go through vicious equation crunching when developing new uses or new crystals entirely. Not her. Not usually. Being a child prodigy was one of the few things her grandmother never criticized her for. She had an innate understanding of crystals; their properties and reactions. This damn experiment of hers, however, was difficult to wrap her head around enough as it was. And she couldn't prevent the crystals from decaying at an accelerated rate. So she had resorted to struggling though complicated and heavy equations to figure out how to stop it.

_There's something off about these numbers... the energy of the conversion should be sufficient but..._

"Master?"

Cyclonis jumped, flinging the chalk in her hand in a temper. "I said I was not to be disturbed!" she screamed in rage. She had been so close!

She whirled around, meeting the blasted Doctor's eyes, his eyebrows raised a little at her outburst. There was no fear, or concern, just a little incredulity.

"My apologies, there was just something I wished to discuss with you."

Cyclonis threw up a hand in aggravation before continuing to stare at the equations scribbled in chalk. She hoped the Doctor would disappear, but he stayed.

"It's about Aerrow."

Cyclonis rolled her eyes. It was _always _about the damn Sky Knight. "What about him?"

"You're sleeping with him."

It felt like someone had poured ice down her spine. The coldness swept everything out of her mind, leaving only a simmering anger underneath. She hated it when people discovered her secrets.

"Well, don't you presume a little much." Her voice was hard, detached. She remembered when people once actually heeded the dangerous tone from that voice.

"I know it's none of my business, Master-"

"In that you are correct."

"But this is going too far."

Venom poisoned her tone, "I think you forget who is the Master; I'll do as a please, and I don't need your concern or permission."

"I think it's way past due we discussed what you want done with the boy."

Cyclonis gave the man a seething glare. "I'm a little busy. Can't this wait?"

The Doctor just shook his head emphatically. "No, this cannot. It's already been too long."

**~Accusation~**

She stood there, her fingernails scraping away at the chalk in her hand. Thoughts were running madly through her head. Scenarios were picked up and discarded. Nothing was satisfactory. It was then that she had a terrible realization. She had been avoiding this decision because for once in her life she didn't know how to proceed.

"I think we both know that the Storm Hawks are quite alive. And they blame you for the boy's disappearance. They will come here eventually, either for revenge on you or in search of the Sky Knight."

"I am aware." Of course they would hunt her down, it was the nature of things.

"And what will you do? Will you let him go or cage him?"

"I won't give those sky rats anything."

"In other words, you want him to stay."

"You're putting words in my mouth, and I don't appreciate it."

For a moment the Doctor looked worn down, and his age showed. He just looked exhausted. "If you want him to stay, all you have to try to do is ask him."

"You presume I care enough for his opinion?"

"My apologies, Master Cyclonis. It's late; perhaps I should leave."

Cyclonis didn't acknowledge his exit. She stood still, her fingernails still clawing away flakes of chalk as she considered the Doctor's words.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Sorry for the very long awaited update my dears. You can thank Hedlum; they're currently acting as my muse/kick to the butt to get Power Play updating on a half decent schedule again.


	74. Chapter 74

**~Conclusions~**

The lights were dimmed, and Cyclonis watched the shadows dance from the flickering light. The heavy weight of Aerrow's head rested on her chest. She could feel his breath caress her collarbone. She idly played with his hair, running the strands through her fingers. The locks were uneven and wild. The last time it had been cut probably had been when he had been recovering from the stabbing. Some of the mats in his filthy hair had been easier to just cut away.

It had been days ago since the confrontation with the Doctor, and she had done her best to pretend it hadn't happened. In the busy crush of the day when she could throw herself into her research or into council meetings. She even used the red-head as a distraction; trying to exhaust herself into dreamless sleep. It worked fairly well, but she always found herself in quiet moments like this, where her mind was free to wander despite her best efforts.

And it made her realize how far off track her original plan had gone. Not even just off track, the train had gone off the rails completely, gone careening down a cliff and crashed in a terrific explosion. It was supposed to be _Piper_. It had always been about Piper. It was Piper that she had fantasied about. The person who's love, admiration and friendship she had coveted. Whose hatred and loathing she gleefully nurtured.

The person she had wanted to break and tame.

But, now that time had distanced her mind from the plan she realized how much a failure that would have been. Piper would have died, and it would have been by Cyclonis's hand. Piper wouldn't have forgiven her. Wouldn't have adapted. The girl would never allow her hate to tolerate Cyclonis's existence. And Cyclonis would have snapped one day, let loose her hurricane of emotions and Piper would have been lost to it.

But Aerrow was used to reading the winds, and riding them accordingly. He was yielding. Not to say the man wasn't stubborn. He could dig his heels in when he wanted to. For that reason alone, it was a miracle Aerrow hadn't been sent flying through the window already. Maybe it because as much as he argued, he also listened. He was fair. That attitude towards her was alien, when she was used to have to her have her opinions overrode or ignored in the council, even with Piper. Especially Piper.

And as... _unlikely _as the attachment was, it was there. And now that she had it, she was loathe to let it go. She had never been very good with sharing.

**~Safe Keeping~**

Cyclonis didn't take risks with what she considered hers. She liked to keep those few precious things tucked away. The Doctor had told her to _ask _him to stay. That was impossible. That gave him the option to refuse. Like he had a choice to leave. Which he didn't. Not now, when she had decided to keep him.

And he would leave if she gave him the option. She knew he would. Because it would be the _right _thing to do. Because he was the _hero_ and they did that kind of noble nonsense.

But she had a plan. And it was easy. Fool-proof, even. Hers plans might fall apart when it came to getting _rid _of Storm Hawks, but surely they had to succeed at _keeping _one.

But this idea was simple. Nothing over complicated, and there were no minions involved to bungle it. It was just going to take a while to set up before she could capitalize it. But when it worked, she would be safe in trusting Aerrow's loyalty to her.

* * *

_A/N: _Thank you kindly all for the reviews and sticking with me! To answer a question that keeps cropping up - no, I'm afraid I won't be writing more lemons for this story (or any story really). I don't feel comfortable writing them, nor enjoy it. What's the point of writing something you don't enjoy? Takes the fun right out of it. If you guys ever have questions or just want to drop a comment you can also do so at silver-quick dot tumblr dot com. I have anon turned on, so I can answer you there a little more easily than here. Take my dears, and expect more updates!


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